Two Years Of BLISS (sometimes)

( anniversary cupcakes at sprinkles in beverly hills)
 "Anyone who imagines that bliss is normal is going to waste a lot of time running around shouting that he has been robbed. The fact is that most putts don’t drop, most beef is tough, most children grow up to be just like people, most successful marriages require a high degree of mutual toleration, and most jobs are more often dull than otherwise. Life is just like an old time rail journey ... delays, sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders, and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling bursts of speed. The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride." — Gordon B. Hinckley

I love this quote. One thing I've gathered in my 24 months of matrimony is that it isn't all peaches. They are really hard times, really freaking awesome times, but mostly just moving along- not bad, not super good - times. 

Our first year of marriage I found somewhat challenging. Especially when I was sitting in an awful BYU married ward listening to another testimony/brag-imony of how someone's husband was the best in the world!!! He made dinner, cleaned the house, arranged floral boquets, was perfect in every way blah blah blah. I sat alone a pew listening to this, while I hadn't even seen my brand new husband in a couple months, let alone had him decoupage all our lamps. I felt a bit gypped. But everyone's life/marriage is different. They is no use comparing. Or if you do, in the words of the wise President Hinkley: you'll run around thinking you've been robbed. 

So if I could give advice to newly married Lauren, it would be something like this:

"Really enjoy the "bliss times", but don't stress that every moment isn't awesome and think that everyone else has marriages filled with nothing but sublime days. They don't. And don't stress that sometimes things are tough, and think that everyone else's lives flow so much more smoothly than yours. They don't. You're normal. And that's okay. Go with the flow, sometimes (a lot of times!) things don't go according to that master plan in your head. But it still works out how its supposed to.

You may think that its totally obvious to Dan that you're super angry if you give him the silent treatment. It's not. Just use your words. You know, communicate. Tell him when somethings wrong. Also, don't worry - You win the fight about having a top sheet on the bed." 

Our second year of Marriage was way better than the first. We lived together and learned more about each other- which always helps. 

I think that our relationship will just keep getting better, year after year.

I love Dan. He's a great husband who always makes me laugh, works hard, and tries to make me happy. I'm glad that we're bound together. Forever.

Here's to TWO YEARS. And hoping that we celebrate our 3rd anniversary not in freaking Monterey.

Amen.