Our First Year

one year.
two different cities, apartments, & jobs.
travel in three countries...
& through fourteen states.
three hundred sixty-five mornings of waking up next to my best friend.
& a whole lot of grace.

Everyone tells you that the first year is so hard.  And I'm kind of afraid to say that it hasn't been...but it really hasn't been.  There are hard days...but the easy ones far outweigh those.  There are arguments & fights...but the laughter is so much more memorable.

But it's still been a learning year.  So much about marriage is learning the other person (especially when you didn't date that long beforehand).  It's about learning to appreciate his quirks.  Learning how to apologize. Learning to teach him about yourself so that unrealistic expectations are fewer.  Learning what meals are his favorites.  Learning how to cheer him up when he's upset.  Learning grace.

Marriage is about the Gospel.  And I can say without hesitation that I understand the Gospel now more than I did a year ago.  God loved us in our sin.  He loved us even with our faults, our annoyances, our mistakes, & our hurtful words.  He sacrificed What He loved most to show us that love & to provide a way for redemption.  He taught us grace.

Husbands & wives have a power over each other that no other person can have.  Just as Grayson can make me happier than anyone else on earth, he also has the power to hurt me the most.  Words we say to each other in anger can hurt more than those of anyone else.  But I am so thankful to have a husband who shows me grace upon grace upon grace.  A husband who shows me Jesus every single day.