Every year on St. Patrick's Day Rob and I celebrate another special day... our anniversary.  This weekend it was 8 years of being married.

(Quick side note.. March 17th was NOT our intended wedding date.  March 15th was.  2 years and 7 months to the day after we had met in a college algebra classroom in a Kansas high school.  Maryland has a 48 hour rule though... and after our 48 hour wait, it was St. Patricks Day... but also easy to remember for my husband.)

This year we spent our anniversary as I imagine we will spend many anniversaries in the future, at the St. Patrick's Day parade here in our little town.  They put on a really good, long parade here and even though the weather was a tad bit on the chilly side, we were able to enjoy it from the back of our van, right in the front row.  The kids enjoyed themselves and my sister even made it out to the parade with us.  After the parade we came home and warmed up before heading out for a quick dinner at Texas Roadhouse.  With it being March Madness and this being a college basketball town, we left early and got in and out before the local team even played.  A success all around in my book.

So now that we have been married 8 years, what advice would I give newlyweds both in and out of the military?  Here are 8 quick thoughts about married life.

1. Get married for the right reasons.  Love, and only love.  Not for convenience.

2. Consider marriage a lifetime commitment, not something with an opt out clause.

3. Be willing to work on things.  Marriage is TOUGH.  But it is even harder when you are not on the same page.

4. Marry someone you can see yourself having kids with and parenting with.  Or not.  But make sure you have that talk and envision those ideals before you sign on the dotted line.

5. Experience life obstacles before marriage.  You learn so much about a person in the hardest moments and it will help you later on if you know what to expect.

6. Agree to disagree on some things.  It is okay to feel differently on some topics.

7. Don't expect change out of your life partner.  They will always throw the clothes next to the hamper, not in it.  They will always leave beard trimmings in the bathroom.  They will always drive you slightly insane sometimes.  That is who they are and that is who you are marrying.

8. Don't forget to take care of yourself.  A night watching your own shows, uninterrupted or a day at the spa.  Take the time to self love and your marriage will greatly benefit from it.

I don't pretend to be an expert.  Rob and I have been through our fair share of crap and we haven't always made the best decisions for all those involved... but here we are 8 years later.  So we have to be doing something right.

Happy Anniversary, babe!  I love you!



always,
amanda