The Give and Take of a Marriage

Hey everyone! Jason approached me a few days ago and said he has been thinking a lot about marriage lately since we have both been following Lyryn and Jesse's journey.  He asked me if it would be all right if he guest posted for today, and of course I said yes! So today, I leave you with a quick reminder to enter my giveaway that ends tomorrow (I only have a few entries, so your chances of wining are excellent!) and my husband's thoughts on our marriage.  Copied and pasted directly from his e-mail to me:

When I first met Paige I had a lot to learn and slowly getting to know her over the years I have come a long way.  We both have.  I realized that to make things work, it takes an open line of communication.  Things have to be talked about no matter how big or how small.  I knew when I found that one person I would do any and everything for them. Paige has made it pretty easy for me to give all of myself to because I know I can talk to her about everything her being my best friend I know we can get through anything.

I have to say I may be one of the most optimistic people around, there isn’t much that upsets me or pushes my buttons.  I have always felt that there isn’t any task too big to accomplish or any problem that either I can’t handle or that Paige and I as a couple couldn’t tackle together with a little help from God.  Life has its curveballs and we have seen a few thrown our way lately but I know supporting each other is the only way to stand firm.  A marriage has a lot of things that before being married I never realized it was going to take but opening up more was one of the big things I had to learn.  

Every evening we talk about the day’s events no matter how big or small the things may be.  I have learned that listening is a big deal because at first I would hear what was being said but not fully take it in.  I’m not 100% there but I’m getting better as time goes on!  We have been married for almost two years now and we have learned a lot about how we respond to each other.  Paige has learned that by telling me what to do all the time isn't going to work and I don't respond well to being told to do things.  So instead she praises me and appreciates me for the things I do and I end up enjoying to hear that, so it’s no problem for me to just do what needs to get done.  I know what I need to do and instead of letting it sit and be told to do something I know now that it’s a part of our everyday thing that we don’t have to say “hey do this or do that,” it is not like that.  We figured out that communicating in a different way when it came to doing chores or anything around the house it was easier to let the other do the work and then praise them after.  I truly believe that has helped us not bicker about little things and has opened up our communication a lot more than it would have if the orders were being handed down the other way and being told how to do it.

There are so many things that I love about my marriage and if I have to pick just one that would be our evenings of just talking or even just in the car when we just go on and on about a topic.  It doesn’t have to be the most important issue but we always find a way to keep our conversations together.  Maybe its cause I have such a beautiful wife its just easy to look at her and talk and talk or maybe its because she is so smart and funny.  I don’t know how, but I am blessed to have such a wonderful wife who keeps me thinking and keeps me wanting more.  I know a lot of people struggle and it doesn’t have to be that way, you have to figure out your partners wants and needs and then go from there, everyone takes things differently so looking deeper at the love of your life and seeing what can you do to make them feel special or important makes a huge difference.  

Im blessed knowing that each day I know my wife is always by my side.  The last few months have been tough but I know she would have done the same for me.  She always tells me she is sorry for causing such a problem but to me its no problem at all.  That is my vow to her to be there to never leave her side.  I don’t know what I would do with out Paige but I am glad she has made it through the last 6 months.  It has been tough on all of us, but inside I was so scared to almost lose her.  I had faith and trust in God that it would be ok but sometimes I hold a speck of doubt.  My best friend has made it through a lot and I couldn’t ask for anything more.  We have our little boy on the way and he has been tough through everything as well.  So the two loves of my life are healthy and ok now and it was never any trouble to pick up any extra that I needed to around the house.  My life is dedicated to my family and that’s why it is never a problem to just do.  

So to end this I just want to say I Love You Paige and also want to thank all of you who are reading this because you all have supported my wife through a lot of tough times and your kind words have always brought a smile to her face!