So, do you feel married yet?

I love this question but I don't really know how to answer it. I kind of feel like I'm playing house but I feel married. The obvious thing is that, well...now we can do what married people do...but that's not it. Marriage really does feel different. There is a level of intimacy that comes with sharing a bed, a home, money, thoughts and feelings on a daily basis that only comes with marriage. There have been some growing pains. For us it has been around money. No major arguments but we have experienced some stretching on both our parts. I am a meticulous record keeper with budget spreadsheets, perfectly kept checkbook registers, and coupon clipping. Ricky is a lot less structured but still responsible. I think that we will always be working on the common ground...and that's okay! The blessing is that I give us structure and he gives us freedom--the perfect match! What I have learned through our financial adjustment period is that we don't have to have it figured out all at once and that applies to everything. I am a solution person. That is sometimes good but sometimes, not. The good thing is that when there is something that needs work, I am not one to put off the work. Usually I will dig right in to finding a resolution. My struggle is that sometimes...okay, often I lose patience with myself or, worse, with other people when the answer can't be reached in 30 minutes or less. Sometimes God doesn't want us to find the answer or finish the work that quickly! If I am not careful, I make life about getting to an end result when I really should be focused on the journey to the end result. This applies to everything, not just my marriage. Fortunately, my husband is more able to enjoy and learn from the journey. He has patience I dream of having! He is so laid back and we really do even each other out.