5 things I’ve learned in 5 years of marriage

Bryan and I celebrated our 5 year wedding anniversary on May 17! We also celebrated our 9 year dating anniversary. We started dating, were engaged, and were married all on May 17, two years apart. Marriage has been everything I imagined and nothing I expected all at the same time. Here are five things I’ve learned in the last five years of marriage.

1. Marriage will sanctify you. 

All of the good, the bad, and the ugly about yourself will be reflected and magnified tenfold. If you let it, this can change you in the best ways. You’ll have to do the hard work of growing into the person you were meant to be but you’ll have your best friend beside you reminding you of the good you don’t necessarily see.

2. You will laugh more than you ever thought possible.

When you spend so much time with someone, you begin to find even the most mundane things hilarious. There have been times where Bryan and I are doubled over with laughter about absolutely nothing! We find each other funny and most of the time I’m not sure why.

3. You will cry more than you ever thought possible. 

This person will make you more angry than you ever thought you could be. And it will be something as simple as an old cup of coffee on the nightstand that will set you off. You will say things that hurt the other person just because you know you can and you will have to learn how to forgive.

4. You will come up with some weird nicknames. 

We call each other bean and I have no idea why or how we got there!

5. You will have to choose each other each morning (and maybe multiple more times throughout the day). 

Marriage is so wonderful but very difficult. You will learn to turn your focus outward and serve your spouse, especially when you don’t want to. Some days this will come easily and other days it won’t. Wake up and choose each other and half the battle has been won.

Happy belated anniversary to my big bean.

xo, Rachel