What we’ve learned

Yesterday was J’s and my anniversary. I can’t believe we’ve been married for 6 years. Sometimes, it feels like we just got married yesterday, in many ways it seems much, much longer than 6 years. We took a little day trip to wine country (hooray! More on that later!) and just enjoyed some quality time together.

Inspired by these posts of two other bloggers, I decided to do a similar post about the stuff we’ve learned in 6 years of marriage.

32be3c0b-e106-47d7-a50c-e65330ce5061

There is a German saying that pretty much sums up life (in general):

Erstens kommt es anders und zweitens als man denkt.

(a. you never know, and b. how things turn out.)

So very true.

If there is one thing that you can’t really predict for the future, it is what’s going to happen after you say “I do”. Of course, you have dreams and aspirations, you make plans and set goals, but in the end, regardless how diligently you plot and plan, there are often situations that are outside of your control and you have to learn to just try and hit the curveballs that might be thrown your way. J and I definitely had our fair share of curveballs, but they taught us a lot for sure.

 

We learned that…

+ communication is key.

+ even though I am a planner at heart, I can’t plan everything.

+ J is a night owl, I am a morning person.

+ through thick and thin can really mean through thick and thin.

+ I will never understand why guys have to pee standing up.

+ J will never understand my need to take pictures of ALL THE THINGS (but at least he doesn’t care too much and let’s me).

+ Baseball > Football.

+ we both love salty snacks > sweet snacks.

+ Chocolate Chip ice-cream is still pretty awesome.

+ J doesn’t believe in cards/gifts for special occasions, but prefers to generously give on ordinary days, and that

+ I still think it’s very important to send cards and gifts for special occasions. (Double win?)

+ marriage is not always a picnic-in-the-park, but still worth every effort.

+ we can not watch (political) news without pausing every 5 minutes and discussing it. Luckily, we’re pretty much on the same page on all issues, so it doesn’t compromise our relationship.

+ the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.

+ you have to stick together when shit hits the fan.

+ cooking > eating out (most days).

+ opposites attract. (He’s always hot, I am always cold.)

+ we both like the water (J likes the ocean, I like the snow. Well, I like the ocean, too.)

+ we agree on (most) music.

+ I’m the tech person of the two of us.

+ nothing is more important than being able to be ridiculously silly around each other.

  1. Awwww, happy belated anniversary! That’s so great that you’ve already been married for six years. Amazing! And it looks like you’re still going strong & still happy, which is just so lovely to see :)

    PS totally love that picture of you both hahaha

  2. LOVE the picture and happy anniversary, we have our 5 year one in July

    …and here is my German saying that I live by (in my marriage and my life):

    Ein echtes Wir enthält mehr Du als Ich…
    (a real “us” contains more “you” than “me”)

  3. Amazing! Six years! After 24 years I think the “through thick and thin” is probably the most important. That and remembering to always love the one you are with, because sometimes it isn’t easy.
    Congratulations!

  4. Happy (belated) anniversary! !!!!!
    Communication and being able to be ridiculous silly around each other …..love it and live it ;)

  5. Happy (belated!) anniversary! Love the photo :) I wholeheartedly agree with the last one – nothing is more important than being able to be yourself, and be ridiculously silly. A favourite quotation:

    “We are all a little weird and life’s a little weird and when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love.” (Dr. Seuss)

  6. I love that picture of you two! What a great post. I feel fortunate, in some ways, that I will be the last person in my group to get married (well, if that ever does happen for me), because I have learned a lot from my married friends and I think I have more realistic expectations about marriage than i would have if I hadn’t had the opportunity to watch them go through the ups and downs of marriage.

  7. Aw, happy anniversary, San! What a sweet photo of the two of you! Love this post, so true! xxx

  8. I just love that photo of the two of you!

    Happy anniversary!

  9. That is The Best Picture. :D
    Happy anniversary to the two of you!

  10. What a sweet post, and even sweeter picture! happy anniversary!

  11. I love this list. I think you have a great mix of similarities and differences. I find I have a lot of the same kinds of things as you guys with my boyfriend — I am always cold, he is always hot. he is a late night person, I am early morning. We mostly like the same music, or if not we tolerate it. But in his case football > baseball (I prefer baseball though!)

  12. Happy Anniversary San and J!!! What a cute picture! Compromise is a big factor, too.

  13. happy hochzeitstag (etwas verspätet aber von herzen!) – you two rock! :)

  14. 6 years! I cannot wait until I’m able to say that Mr. O and I have been married for 6 years. That sounds so nice :)

    I love, love, love this post. It’s so funny how I’m STILL noticing similarities between us, but the funny thing is that I’m also noticing similarities between our guys! (the presents thing/them always being hot and us being cold, lol). Wild, huh? Happy Anniversary!

  15. I absolutely love this list. You’re right – marriage isn’t super easy, but man is it worth it when you’re with the right person! Happy anniversary!

  16. This was so sweet and I adore that photo of the two of you. Happy belated anniversary!

  17. Happy belated anniversary! Congratulations on six years of wedded bliss! That picture of you guys is too cute!

  18. Oh schöner Post!!!
    Und auch noch sehr interessant.

    Vor allem der erste Punkt. Felix ist leider kein “aktiv kommunizierender” Mensch und das macht es sehr oft SEHR schwer.

    Es hört sich so an, als führt ihr ein glückliches, lustiges Leben.
    Alles Gute zu eurem Hochzeitstag nachträglich!!

    Lieben Gruß…Nora.

  19. Happy Anniversary!

    This is an awesome list! Chris and I can definitely relate to some of these. :)

  20. Great list (not that I would know about marriage but it seems very real). Cute picture too! Happy anniversary to you guys!

Comments are closed.