One Year of Marriage...

Today is our first anniversary of being married... crazy how fast time flies and at the same time the last year has seemed to go slow. Here are my reflections on this past year. I agree with the statement that the first year of marriage is the hardest mainly because of all the changes...

Jon and I have been blessed in many ways this past year. Jon FINALLY got a police job last November 2007 and it was such a relief and joy. Along with that great news, came the challenges of being a police wife all in the first year of marriage. It was harder than what i thought but i signed up for it when I married Jon one year ago knowing what his career goal was. I am very proud of him and nothing makes me happier than seeing my husband find a job he finds truly fufilling in life. Life is too short to work in a job you don't enjoy.
We struggled and learned how to have a marriage where you often don't have evenings or weekends together and sometimes don't see each other for several days or just one evening a week. We have found the importance of having date nights once a week on one of Jon's days off from work, whether we cook at home or go out spending time together the little amount we can is important. We got use to the crazy shifts (5 nights a week with most weekends) and now it has become normal to us. We also dealt with the challenge of our choice for me to finish school full time and quit my full time job. 2 months one one income and we are doing okay for this year. It is great to be able to focus on school and be supported by Jon to get my Masters Degree in Social Work. I will be done in August 2009!

I feel really blessed also this past year despite the challenges... We have a great living situation right now and in the coming years. We have good health, amazing parents, extended families and friends, a stable income and a church we love and feel apart of.. Jon got assigned to overnights in 2009 and we look forward to having evenings together more often. Marriage is hard work but worth it. I can't imagine my life with out Jon and my love for him continues to grow each day. He treats me great and we look forward to new things this coming year including an anticipated delayed honeymoon in January in Mexico and moving to Racine later this year. I am thankful to God for bringing an amazing husband, best friend and companion.

Thank you God for my husband, marriage and for always being faithful this past year!