Reflections: Looking back at 6 months of marital bliss

Not to get mushy on you but today marks 6 months of marriage for the Haynes'. I have never been a "monthly anniversary" celebrator....I just don't see the point, but today I have some thoughts I want to pen down, or I suppose, in this case type down.

For anyone who has known Derek and I any length of time, you know that not only did we date for YEARS ( I mean, like a lot of years) before we got married, but we also did not live together before we got married. I think that in this day and especially for our age, that is pretty rare. However, I think that has made these last six months that much sweeter for us.

There is something to be said for the discovery of your partner in day to day life. I didn't know exactly what Derek's habits were early in the morning when getting ready for work. I didn't know how he slept every night, how he snoozes his alarm 2-3 times each morning and how he turns on the shower before he shaves his face at the sink.

Derek didn't know that I never snooze my alarm (or maybe he did because I make disparaging comments about snoozing all the time) that I apparently talk nonsense in my sleep (I didn't know that either) or that I throw elbows when I sleep (I guess we need a bigger bed).

These are all non-starter parts of our lives (except the elbow throwing, that is serious) but I am just making a point; there are so many things that even 8 years of dating didn't teach us about one another.

Something I didn't expect about living together? How sweet our evenings together would be. How fun it is to be home making dinner for Derek when he gets home from a long day. How appreciative he is when he comes home to a clean house and clean laundry. How even though I am not the greatest cook in the world, he loves it when I try and make something new.

Things that are special to me after 6 months of marriage:
When he brings me a cup of coffee in the bathroom each morning while I get ready before he leaves in the morning.
When I wake up with an Afro of a hair-do he makes a silly comment like, "Stay back boys, she's all mine"
When I cook dinner, he races to the kitchen to clean up the dishes after we eat.
On the rare nights that I get home later than he does, there are always comfy clothes laid out on the bed for me and a glass of wine poured.
That most weekends we do the grocery shopping and the laundry together.
That he sends me random "I love you darlin" texts during the day
That whenever I am gone from the house, he sends me "What are you doing? What is your status?" texts...
That he always calls when he is on his way home
That whenever I walk in the door he says, "There's my wife"
That we still can laugh together about the dumbest things...like me falling, hitting my knee on the coffee table, or him making a "law situation" out of everything
Our dinner date nights together
Our yogurt runs
The fact that we can still do things with our friends, separately
When we do things with our friends together
That we make time to get together with our parents and my brothers family
That he is my greatest supporter and he encourages me to step out in faith into uncharted territories and follow my dreams
That he make me a better person, every day
That together we try and be a blessing to those around us

There is no one I would rather face trials with, no one who makes me happier, no one that I feel safer with, no one who can make me laugh more and no one who I would rather spend the rest of my life with than Derek. I love you Derek.