554 days in...

We've recently passed the year and a half mark of marriage! Woohoo!

That puts us at about... the pre-school level of marital knowledge and wisdom, but this has been the hardest and best year and a half of learning that I have ever encountered in my post-graduate studies. However, marriage is not the kind of thing you work to "graduate" from... which would be dying...

ANYWAY, in our meek wisdom as a young couple, here are some of the top lessons we have learned:

1. Say "I love you" often and with eye contact
2. Be honest! Even if it hurts
3. JLJW (Just Let Jenny Win)--Brandon's motto whenever we play games, even though I usually win anyway!
4. Play games/sports together
5. Talk about the hard stuff (finances, goals, fears, hurts) early and often
6. Cook together
7. Communicate, communicate, and communicate some more
8. Super Mario Wii is a great communication tester ("You stole my mushroom!" "Agh, I said I jump then you jump!")
9. Say no to anything that stands to threaten your relationship or sanity
10. Never go to bed without resolving an argument
11. Always remember you're on the same team, be each other's biggest fans
12. Don't bring home a puppy, take on a full load of grad work, coach high school wrestling, and work full-time at the SAME TIME!
13. Date each other
14. Turn off the TV
15. Apologize
16. Prioritize: spiritual health, relational health, emotional health, financial health, and physical health
17. DREAM together

We've learned so much about love, grace, service, and selflessness. But we are so far from perfect. Grace (apologies and forgiveness) is the glue that holds us together. I love the song "Dancing in the Minefields." It paints a true picture of the adventure that is marriage:

"I do" are the two most famous last words

The beginning of the end

But to lose your life for another I've heard

Is a good place to begin

'Cause the only way to find your life

Is to lay your own life down

And I believe it's an easy price

For the life that we have found

And we're dancing in the minefields

We're sailing in the storm

This is harder than we dreamed

But I believe that's what the promise is for

If you have a young couple in your life, encourage them, pray for them, guide them, mentor them...

That totally sounds like a PSA for Big Brothers and Sisters of America...

What are some of the most important marriage lessons you've learned?