{Guest Post} Emily from Hope Squared

Hello, all you party people!  I'm on vacation until March 8th and have decided NOT to blog so that I can pour my attentions onto my sweet hubby and snuggly pup.  =)  I hope you've been enjoying the guest bloggers I've been featuring the past few days.  I'm really excited about today's post and I hope y'all enjoy it!

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Hey there MNWL Readers!  My name is Emily and I blog over at Hope Squared.  When I saw that Mrs. Robinson put out a call for guest posts so she could dedicate her vacation time with her new husband - I jumped at the chance.  One because I enjoy her blog {and obviously you do too - duh} and secondly because the timing was perfect - you see today is my wedding anniversary.  My first wedding anniversary.   I am married to the hunk in the picture below. His name is Steve and I kinda like him - a lot.  We got married on a beach in Cuba. It was the best day of my life.

{Emily Plus Steve March 3, 2011}

Here we are one year later.  366 days of wedded bliss.  I'd be lying if I said it was anything but amazing.  Because it has been just that.  Prior to getting married Steve and I had dated for eight years.  So I didn't think getting married would make much difference.  I mean we already got through the awkwardness of our twenties and were ready to hit the ground running in our thirties.  I assumed that getting married would basically just make things legal and give me a shorter {and much cooler} last name.  I was terribly wrong.  Marriage is so much more than that.  In my short wedded life I have learned a lot about why marriage is so special.  Here are my opinions on what makes our marriage so great. Learning to compromise.  When I was 8 someone bought me a nightgown that said "I'm only happy when things go my way." This is polite way to basically say that I am stubborn.  I still, sometimes, sulk when I don't have things my way.  This doesn't usually work in our marriage.  I am working hard on this one - but thankfully I have a partner that will call me out on this.  Basically this is how I feel inside when I am not in control of the situation.

Keep it real and be yourself.  You know those couples that are into all the same things - I mean like everything? I don't get that.  I think individuality is so important in a marriage.  It's what makes you - you.  For example, Steve likes war documentaries.  I find them incredibly sad. I like TV Teen Dramas.  Steve can't stand them.  But it's not a problem.  Because we have already learned that compromise is important so we settle on shows like Survivor and Mad Men okay and some comedy gold like It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.  Plus while Steve 'jams' with his man friends once a week - I enjoy the awesomeness of a quiet place to myself.  Have fun and laugh a lot.  Thankfully I have a husband who makes me feel like the funniest person in the world.  He is a great audience and is good for my self confidence.  But not only that - we laugh together.  We have fun together.  In whatever we are doing.  Even if it scares the heck out of out of us. 

{this is a vintage photo but emphasizes my point.  This is monkey island in Vietnam.  All day we were so excited to see the monkeys.  That was until we got there.  And we learned that monkeys are wild.  Monkeys are scary.  I don't really like monkeys.  Steve and I laugh at this memory a lot.}

Fall in love with each other all over again. This happened the moment we said I do.  I mean seriously ladies - what's not to love about this handsome face?

So today I will celebrate my first year of marriage with the best husband money can buy ever. But I am eager to know - what do you do to make your marriage work?  Don't be shy come on over to my place and say hello and tell me.  I promise no monkey business.  Oh and thanks again to Mrs. Robinson for letting me guest over here {I hope you're having an awesome-sauce vacation}

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Thanks for the great advice!  =)  I've got my 6th month anniversary coming up in a few days, and it looks like Emily & I are learning many of the same lessons.  Anyway, GO to her blog right away and become her newest follower. =)  Have a great Saturday!