There's really no excuse for not writing this blog earlier. Nonetheless, here we are, almost one month later.

One month later than what you ask? ONE YEAR I say! One year of newlywed bliss. I'm happy to report that in this first year we have never fought; we have never been frustrated with one another; we've every day looked out for the other before ourselves; we've let our spouse pick the movie even though we would rather have watched something else; we didn't even mind when our significant other ate the last cookie (brownie, chip, bite of salsa, slice of cheese, waffle, etc.). It has been awesome. Now I know what those married folks have been enjoying all these years!

PSYYYYYYYCH. Okay, hopefully you are back in your seat after making a trip to the bathroom to puke, and we can carry on with the real version of the last year. Of course we have fought. Mostly over incredibly trivial things. Things like "You finished the bag of chips? I just bought that bag of chips yetserdayyy!" or whether it is better to write all those thank-you-notes "with some peace and quiet so I can think straight" or "with some music so I can be more excited about my hand falling off as I crank these bad boys out." Seriously, at least two fights ensued over music vs. quiet. Not sure who won those yet. But truthfully, some of that "newlywed bliss" stuff is not all off-base.

What I mean to say is we have had a good year. It is fun to read together before bed (yeah, we're nerdy, so what!). It is awesome praying together---it is so cool how God can use Casey praying with me/for me to just pour some salve into a wound that's been reopened. It is, while at times stressful, way more exciting to cook dinner for two people than one. Especially when your husband will eat almost anything and routinely says "That was good, babe!" Thanks Love! It is, grueling, yet empowering, to work together on a monthly budget/spending plan. It is encouraging to see God work through Casey to love people and build relationships and to push them to Christ. It is humbling to be his helper. I am inadequate, but God's grace is sufficient for me, for His power is made perfect in my weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).

There are so many more ways that God has grown us, and so many conversations, and prayers, and movie nights, and dinners, and family gatherings, and heartaches, and breakthroughs, and happy tears, and sad tears, and...life. How could I record them all? But God has been faithful through all of them, and we know He will continue to be. I am so happy to be married to my man. I am so thankful. "Because of my sin, and its consequences, I know I do not deserve to marry you," but I am so glad for grace!