The Greatest Teacher

When I tell people how long we’ve been married, they get excited about our newlywed status.  It’s fun to think about, but I also bask in the whirlwind that it’s been.  We’ve been married exactly 9 months to the date, and I think that’s pretty awesome.  We always like to celebrate 9’s.  Curt pretends he actually likes the number, but really, I think he just knows how much I love it.  9’s give you a chance to still be new – you haven’t quite hit the double digits – but still have time to learn and make mistakes and become familiar.  Here’s what we’ve learned in 9 months. 

We’ve learned to live together, which was surprisingly natural.  

We learned how to do a move.  And I think after moving across the Pacific, any other move will be a piece of cake.  Though we haven’t attempted the Atlantic yet … 

I've learned how to take care of him.  And maybe I shouldn’t toot my own horn, but I’m pretty good at it. 

We’ve learned how to budget.  But not how to stay within it.  One thing at a time here, people.  ;)

We’ve learned how to be apart healthily.  We’ve learned the appropriate balance involving a strong ache in your heart for missing the other while still being able to function.  Thrive even.

We’ve learned how to explore like maniacs.

We’ve learned that I can actually cook.  WOAH.

We’ve learned how to build a home.  Next, we’ll build a family. 

We’re learning that getting away is important.  And actually gets you off to a good start in deployment.  Before a 3-week deployment, we stayed up in Tokyo.  And before this more lengthy one, we went off to Kyoto.  These decisions turned out to be genius.  

We’ve learned that community is important, and having to start over in that respect can be the only thing to make you realize this lesson. 

We also learned that though a place can be your own, you can never replace your home. 

(I wish that didn’t sound so poetic.  How cheesy!)

We’ve learned the value of being in an unfamiliar place and having only each other. 

We’ve learned to be vulnerable. 

We’ve learned how to confront graciously.

We’ve learned our vices. 

We’ve learned how to disagree.  And fight.  And how to have discussions instead of not having discussions.

We've learned that our quirks are endless.  At least as far as we know. 

And yes, we learned that I need pets. 

We've learned to be patient with each other.  

We've learned to work on ourselves.

We’ve learned that this will not always be easy.  But it will always be worthwhile. 

So Happy ‘Anniversary’ to my sailor.  May we learn much more.

(photo credit: Joe & Colleen Federer, federerphotography.com)