1 Year of Marriage

PC: Raven Carter Photography

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO ME & MY HUBBY <3! 1 WHOLE YEAR! I Seriously can't even believe that it's been a year!! It feels like it has gone by SO fast but at the same time me and Pax always joke that it feels like we've been married for at least 5 years. This past year has been full of UPS and full of DOWNS. Because that is what marriage is! I think the hardest part about being married for me was realizing that it isn't perfect! That i'm not perfect, he's not perfect, our house isn't perfect, and our lives aren't perfect. And that that is OKAY! I always had everything planned out perfectly in my head about how life and marriage was supposed to be, but now I know I wasn't realistic. Because I was expecting perfection and when it wasn't perfect I would panic and stress so much! But I've learned so much in this past year! I've learned that marriage is seriously just trial and error, learning and growing, COMMUNICATION, COMPROMISE, and fighting for love through this crazy world! 
The past few weeks we have REALLY made it an effort to make our marriage better and better and to love and appreciate each other more than we even did before. Because marriage requires effort! 100% from both people all the time!And after you've lived with them and loved with them for a few months sometimes it's easy to just get into a routine and easy to go through the motions. I hate that. So we have had to make goals for ourselves each week. We discuss how we feel we personally did that week, what we are going to work on this week, and ask what the other person needs from us to make our marriage better and happier! And we are better and happier than we ever have been! Because our marriage is such big focus in our lives.
Another thing that has really helped us through this last year is understanding each others needs and each others love languages. SO IMPORTANT!!!!! It seems so simple and so easy, but it's a game changer! Example- Paxton's #1 love language is service. Service is probably like my last one. So when he is doing service for me- washing the dishes, cleaning the house, helping me out, in my mind it is just something he should do. But to him that is how he was showing me he loved me! And my #1 love language is Physical Touch and so I was always cuddling and holding his hand and kissing him and that's how I was showing him how much I loved him and I would get crushed when I felt like he wasn't as touchy as me cause in my mind we should ALWAYS be holding hands when we can because we are in love. But to him  he doesn't always have to hold my hand and touch me to show me he loves me. Now that we understand that, he does his best to be touchy and I do my best to not get sad if he isn't touchy. I really try to appreciate him and thank him when he is doing service for me, and I try to show him love by doing more service for him!
Marriage is the best thing ever and I'm so so so happy I have Pax by my side for the rest of forever. He truly knows me and loves me. He is so patient and such a hard worker. He is changed and grown and become such an incredible husband that I am so blessed to have! He is my best friend in this whole world and I get to fall asleep with him each night and wake up to him each morning. Life is hard. Life is tough. But it is so much better when you have your human by your side to get through things with!

I love you Pax
xoxo
Bailey