Beginner

I'm a beginner. I'm a beginner at blogging. At being a wife. At another semester at school. At having a life where my "home" is no longer where my parents live. And really, I'm still a beginner at gospel living, even though I've done it my whole life.  I'm learning that I'm really a beginner at pretty much everything. 

And you know what? I love it.

Beginning is fun. Especially when it comes to marriage. I'm sure everyone knows, the beginning of married life is just absolutely wonderful. I hear it's a challenging adjustment a lot of times, and I believe it, but honestly...it hasn't been for us. I guess when you marry your best friend that you've been missing for the past four months, you're just...overjoyed to be together constantly! I know we are. And really, a very very large part of that is just the fact that Derek is about the most lovable man on the planet. I swear, the man can do no wrong. He is endlessly patient, loving, fun, funny, relaxed, happy. He really is just happy to make me happy. That's all he wants to do. And he is oh so good at it.  Not only that, but he understands women. At least, to the extent that anyone can understand women... ;) He's really good at listening, giving feedback, telling me I'm pretty, or just letting me cry over nothing (which, as anyone who knows me can attest, happens frequently), and understanding that it really is over nothing. He's wonderfully sensitive and sweet. He helps with the dishes when he knows it's been a long day. He offers to make dinner, and he sincerely wants to. He makes the bed. He carries my books. He comes into the kitchen while I'm listening to music and dances with me. He brings home flowers and chocolate just because.  He wipes off the toilet seat every single time he uses the bathroom. The man is a saint and a romantic. And I'm convinced that there is no one in the world as incredible as him. 

The beginning of our marriage has been like a dream come true, but even better. I'm in love. I'm in love with my husband. I'm in love with the unity and joy of marriage. I'm in love with the beauty and meaning that the gospel gives my marriage, and the beauty and meaning that my marriage gives to the gospel. I'm in love with the life the Lord has given me. It's all so perfect, and it's all so real.

That's what has inspired me to blog. I want to tell the world how thrilled I am with my day-to-day life. I want people to know what to look for in life, and know that they can have it. Because if I can have it, you can have it. I hope I can offer a perspective to those who are looking forward to marriage, whether in a matter of months or a matter of years, those who are newly married, and those who have been married for a while. I don't pretend to know any more than everybody else--in fact, I confess to knowing significantly less. I just want to put my happiness out there for you to see. Maybe for my married friends and family, this will just serve as a happy reminder of the blissful honeymoon phase you were once in. Maybe it'll make you hold and kiss your husband a little more fervently :) Heaven knows that the newlywed stage isn't the ultimate goal--if it were, it wouldn't come so easily at the beginning of marriage--it would take work and be the end result. So I know that those of you who are married are in an amazing place, and I can't wait to be there with Derek. I just think that when I am there, I probably won't mind a little reminder of what this feels like ;) 

I hope you enjoy your glimpses into my happy reality :)