Wow… today is Dave and I’s one year anniversary!  I think it’s a bit of a strange feeling, because while it doesn’t feel like we have been married for a year, it does already feel like forever.  I am not really sure how that is possible, but that’s just how it is.  Anyway, 6 months ago I wrote a blog with similar sentiment, and just like 6months ago I thought things would feel really different when we hit the 1 year mark.  Before we got married, lots of people told me that the first year would be the hardest, adjusting to life together, sharing my things and my space, but other than having to be a little more considerate and owning up to my unnecessary purchases, it just feels normal… in fact I think that part of me is still waiting for it to fall apart, because apparently it’s supposed to… but so far so good.  Maybe if you asked Dave he would have a different account of the last year, after all, he certainly does more than his fair share of house work… but I am getting better, you can’t fix 25 years of bad habits overnight.  We are still busy,  I still have to plan to see Dave because otherwise our lives get in the way of each others, and I am still messy, so really not that much has changed.

I think the biggest difference of the last 6months perhaps compared to the previous 6 is that we have grown stronger together, which I didn’t really think was possible.  Each day I am reminded how very very blessed I am to have found someone like Dave.  He is so much more than I could have ever hoped for and I don’t know what I would do without him.

So this time round I thought I might share 10 things I have learnt since I got married, they are a mixture of highlights and random little things, because I don’t really think I have any profound marriage/life-lesson pearls to give… so here are 10 things I now know…

1. Christmas is just as good when you wake up in another house with your husband rather than at home… Santa still comes… in fact Santa is funnier at Dave’s place, maybe it’s earlier on the run?

2. Fun Dave is still my favourite – I am getting used to grumpy Dave he does have a purpose and he does get things done… but it doesn’t really matter how much I need grumpy Dave, I still like fun Dave better.

3. Dave can do anything… even save the same bird twice.

4. We don’t need to do everything together.  This is something that I still struggle with, but I know it’s true… in fact it’s a good conversation starter if you do do separate things… seriously… otherwise we are boring.

5. Our next adventure isn’t that far away… buying a house… although Dave has told me he isn’t sure he wants to renovate a house with me because apparently I am annoying, so I guess we will just have to keep saving forever.

6. Love is doing something you don’t like because it makes someone else happy… Here is what I know,

When I do chores, which I hate, Dave is Happy…

and when Dave helps me cross things off the list, which he hates… I am happy…

7. Dave loves Dex more than he let on originally.  When Dex first moved in with Dave, Dave would refer to him as my dog constantly, but since we have been living together, I have noticed that Dave actually loves Dex… so much that Dex is even allowed to cuddle Davo while he is wearing a suit.

8. Despite his often grumpy exterior… Dave is an encourager… he gives me money when I exercise, he helps me with my homework, and tells me a I am good cook even when it’s not true.

9. House work is better when two people do it together… but it doesn’t matter how domestic I become Dave is still much better… but I am trying.

10. Nagging pays off – well eventually… and my last blog about my trip to New Zealand is proof… 7 years of nagging… and this is my view this morning… not bad…