Thursday, December 29, 2011

Make Them Laugh, Make Them Laugh

Wow, I've certainly been a slacker in the ways of updating lately. Oh Well. I have announcements and news but really, I'm not going to post them quite yet. Instead I'm going to focus on marriage and of the things that I've learned in the last 6 months.
1. I know this most likely doesn't work for everyone but I've found that, when looking for a mate, find someone who makes you laugh. A lot. My husband is a major tease. And I absolutely love that about him. In this last year he's made me angry, sad, happy, scared, and frustrated beyond belief. But more than anything he's made me laugh. I don't think I've ever laughed so much or had so much fun with anyone else. In the history of ever. And I know that I'll continue to laugh because in the year and so that we've been together, a day hasn't gone by that he's failed to make me laugh. Even when I'm my most frustrated and angry and don't want to look at him, he's made me laugh.
2. As prepared and scared I thought I was for marriage, it's even more scary and more effort than I imagined. I'm not the rose colored sun glasses type of person. I knew, upon getting married, that happily ever after was more along the lines of "working-hard-to-be-happy ever after" but marriage is still the art of compromise. And trials. And mixed emotions and commitment. I'm still very much in love BUT marriage is the hardest thing I've done so far. And I'm very grateful for the time that I had to myself to prepare for this. I can look back and see the years that I dealt with crazy roommates and living with girls and getting frustrated with friends and dealing with difficult things and people as preparation for what is officially the biggest adventure of my life.
3. Love is a choice. I always hear about how love is by chance. And it's part true. We can try to fall in love with someone and it doesn't work. But we do choose to put ourselves in situations where we love. President Thomas S. Monson states a quote: "Choose your love, then love your choice." and really, that's what it is. We choose our love by choosing the people we spend time with, what we let influence us and how much effort we are willing to put into someone. And at the same time after we've made that choice, we must continuously make that choice every day in order to stay in love with someone.