So.. How's Married Life?

The heart-shaped sand container we used at the Christian ceremony - a daily reminder of how by the grace and will of God, Joey and I are now one. <3

I’ve been meaning to blog sooner. Last June 29th to be exact, para sakto sana One Month Married ang title ng entry ko. Well obviously, that didn’t happen, haha! So here I am now in the dining area of the Ramirezes’, finally deciding to share some thoughts while looking out the half-open sliding door, Joey’s and my towels hanging out to dry, accompanied by the monsoon rains and the continuous whirring of the water dispenser.

“So.. how’s married life?” It’s the one question I’ve been asked so often the past few days, and naturally so. To be honest, I think I’m quite relieved it trumps “When are you guys planning to have a baby?” in terms of frequency. Not that I mind being asked the latter.. I suppose it’s really because I am still in some sort of a daze. A part of me still kinda wants to pinch myself every now and then to check that indeed, I am married, and happily, very happily at that.

Joey and I got married twice, in two beautiful ceremonies that only God in His awesome goodness could have made possible. We had eleven months to plan for the wedding, and since it was a relatively big one, it occupied so much of my brain space I could barely concentrate on doing anything else. We planned hard and as well as we could, and last May 28 and 29 were two of the funnest, most touching, and most memorable days I’ve ever had the privilege of living through. I’m sure everyone will tell you the same about their wedding day, and it’s true. :) They will go on to say that it was the best day of their lives, and that is true as well. :)

Photo courtesy of my cousin, Ina Navarro.

What I don’t get to hear often though, is how the “best”-ness of the wedding day continues throughout your days together. Waking up beside your husband is just the best gift ever, going home together with just the two of you in the car is another “best” moment for me. Saying good night and sharing a kiss before retiring for the night is another bestie. That sweet smile no one sees because you’re still a bit shy to share, that stems from the peace in your heart knowing God chose a really wonderful guy for you to spend your life with - it is just priceless. Writing this makes me so excited for all of you single girls out there, because when you let God choose for you, He will really choose the best. And even you will be surprised at how seamless it will all be.

The seamlessness comes from maturity and authentic love. For when you truly love each other, the willingness to please and understand each other will come naturally. It wouldn’t feel forced or sacrificed. I share this because you guys might say that I am painting a fairy tale here. I am not; Joey and I are both human and have our flaws, occasional arguments and bad moods we adjust to. But I find that the adjustments are minor; and with a strong love rooted in God as our undercurrent, the arguments are resolved easily. It helps a lot that we talk amiably through discussions. But all these seem like tiny matters compared to the big picture: the peaceable knowledge that i’ll get to course through this hard, unpredictable life with this crazy, wonderful person.

Often before I go to sleep I whisper a simple thank you to God for my already lightly-snoring husband (I find that I can only fall into deep sleep when he is; his quiet and steady intakes of breath are my lullaby). And when I wake up and feel his warmth and see his gwapo face, I am struck again and again by the privilege I hold of being the one who gets to sleep beside him every night. He is my gift, my own very special one. And as all precious gifts, he should be treated with utmost care. And I pray that through the mundaneness of life, as time passes, and in increased familiarity with each other, I will never forget this truth.

Photo by our dear friend, Joan Palisoc.

I pray the same for my fellow wives. May we never forget that our husbands are our precious gifts, so that throughout our lives we would always treat them and our relationship with them as such, fragile and precious.

So, how’s married life? 

I am the private audience to the insane antics of this well-loved CEO. I get to talk to God with him when we do devotions and I get a glimpse of his honest character, his intimate thoughts in our prayers. I’ve shown him who I really am, down to the not-so-nice things about me, and he just brushes my fears and insecurities aside and embraces me, loving me for who I am. I love that he is so steadfast - I know that I can go through anything in this world because he will always hold my hand.

In short, masaya ang married life, masayang masaya. :D <3

Photo by Ina Navarro.