3rd Year Anniversary

To have celebrated my third year anniversary is an accomplishment as well as endearing for me. When I say it is an accomplishment, Ron and I had the newly wed struggles this year. 2012 was a crazy rollercoaster that I am hoping we never ever get back on again. Fortunately, we both remembered that communication is key and we were able to come back to that wonderful place we were once at. This time, even stronger than ever. I believe that if we come out of our struggles healthy, happy and positive, we certainly learn a lesson and become better people. I feel much closer to Ron having gone through half of this year misunderstanding each other and not communicating very well. I feel much better equipped for the future. I have already began to notice tiny changes in how we react to each other in our different moods. It is quite encouraging to see how much we have learned about one another.

Ron was so sweet this year too. He got me a wedding band. Yes, that's right. It took me three years to get a wedding band and I think it means more to me now than it ever would have if we would have done it the traditional way. Giving me this ring now was like a reminder that he really is here for me and wants this just as much as I do. Dinner at Flavor was amazing with our chipotle shrimp. Yum.  He also got me Jean Phillippe chocolate from Vegas. It is my favorite sweet endulgement and has ruined Hershey's chocolate for me forever. Let's see... I am a wine connoisseur with sophisticated taste buds and now let us add chocolate snob to the list. I have always loved food though, and working at The Circular Dining Room in Hershey is to blame for my sophisticated taste. It was drilled into me at a fairly young age I must say.

I am 26 years old and three years married. I never thought I would be the girl to get married, but I sure did. As Justin Bieber says, "Never say never" because you will probably end up eating your words, which I have done multiple times in my life already. This is why you no longer hear me ranting about why I never want kids anymore because I will jinx myself! haha. I toy back and forth with that, and know that I am no where near ready to take on the challenge of children right now. Ron and I both feel like we should be alone with each other for years to come because marriage itself is a life changing event. Having children is also life changing, and since we have just seemed to fall Nsync with our relationship, we want many years to enjoy this time we have together. It's actually been really great meeting other couples who do not have children because I really do understand how it simply isn't right for some people, and it is not a bad thing. It is also not a bad thing if you are the family type. However, my view on children was tainted for years because of the pressure I felt growing up in a church community where that was very important. Now that the pressure is gone, I feel like I actually do have the choice to make for myself and that it can be an excellent thing if I want to or maybe it isn't for me at all. One thing I do know for sure is as of now is that it is not a bridge I am ready to cross yet. But just the fact that I can see both sides as a positive thing, means I have really been breaking through the brainwashed mentality I once had.

Living this new life in freedom from brainwash is ultra exciting because my world is painted so differently now. It is a brand new world all over again for me to explore. The best part of it all, is that I have my husband by my side supporting me and encouraging me in everything I do. Even though he is Christian and I am not, we are able to live our lives together in harmony neither criticizing or judging the other. We have learned what true acceptance is of a person because we have accepted each other for our differences. Gosh, that has really made me grow and I feel a lot more mature because of this unique situation I have in being married to someone with completely opposite beliefs from mine. Perhaps, one day, we will be a shining example of how we are all capable of loving people different from ourselves. Truly, it is my dream that we will all learn to accept each other for who we are with nothing but kindness towards everyone in our hearts.

A great lesson I learned from my marriage this year is what it really means to love others. Spiritually, it feeds me well. Slowly, but surely, I am working on ridding the poison that comes to my mind when we meet with unpleasant people. It is hard, but I am learning that I am so much happier when I forget the actions of unkind and pretentious people.