10 Years

Wow.

I really do have a hard time believing that Jeramy and I have been married for ten years. But then again, I hardly remember what life was like before we got together. We have been a couple nearly half our lives, and in essence we have grown up together. We have experienced nearly all of our “firsts” both good and bad together. Not being with him would be like functioning without my right arm…or leg…or maybe both. I hear all the time how people split up because they have grown apart or become different people. That concept seems so foreign to me. We are definitely different people than we were when we started dating; it would be impossible to go from sixteen to thirty without changing. Isn’t that why people always warn against marrying so young? But somehow, we have managed to embrace change together and become a stronger couple because of that.

If anything, I am happier now in marriage than I even pictured us being ten years ago. We are certainly a better couple now than we were then: better at letting the small things go, better at keeping a sense of humor, better at communicating, and even better at arguing (not that we argue more but I think our disagreements are more productive). That’s not to say we’re perfect. I could be a better listener. Jeramy could learn to pick up after himself. I could reign in my tendency to beat issues to death. Jeramy could realize that my mind reading abilities are lacking. I could be a little bit less lazy. Jeramy could spend less money. We could be more civil to each other while on the boat. There is just something about that confined space that gets us going every time!

I never thought we would wait quite so long to start a family, but I’m glad that we did. We had so much time to simply enjoy each other that I believe we have a stronger foundation as a couple that will help us through this transition. I can easily say that my pregnancy has been among the happiest times of my life, and I feel closer to him than ever. Admittedly it is intimidating at the same time. As Jeramy told me, we are awfully good as a pair…will we be able to sustain that with the addition of a third human being? I am sure it will not be easy. Hell, I found adopting Cujo so taxing that I nearly had a nervous breakdown from housebreaking alone. So yeah, I know this will be hard, and there are challenges to come that we cannot begin to anticipate. But I am also sure it will be the most rewarding of any experience we could have together.

In re-reading the above hours later, I find it interesting that nowhere have I mentioned the word love. We tell each other “I love you” or some variation every day, but I rarely go shouting it from the roof tops. I don’t really feel like I need too. I have never doubted Jeramy’s love for me. It is deep, steady and never wavering. I take it for granted constantly when I shouldn’t. And I count myself so lucky that I am even more in love with my husband today than I was when I said I do ten years ago.