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To my best friend,

my husband,

the love of my life,

the reason I smile and laugh so much,

my better half,

my partner through the good and bad,

the future father of my children,

the person I can't live without,

HAPPY {1} YEAR ANNIVERSARY!

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Indeed, my sweet Mr. Green and I have made it one whole year. Our wedding seems like it was just yesterday. {If you want to read my last post as a single woman, click here.} That’s longer than a whole list of celebrities, people. And, although some of you who have been married for years might laugh at us and think, "They don't know what's coming for them," I think that we've accomplished something big. {And, we're going to continue to accomplish big milemarkers. And, I will continue to overcelebrate them because that's just the type of person I am. ;)}

This past year has been the fastest//best//life changing//learning//funnest//happiest year of my life. 

Since I’m a list maker, I decided to highlight 52 things I've learned from 52 weeks of marriage. Honestly I could have made this list super long because I have learned A LOT. People say year one of marriage is the hardest. I get it, I really do, but I think that hard is a negative word. If I could define the first year of marriage, the word I’d use is “different.” I'll admit, when there's been bills on the table, not a lot of money, and tension is running high, there’s been some days that I’ve curled up in a ball and have wondered what the hell I’ve gotten into. Then there’s been some days that I just can’t imagine life getting any better. I sometimes still roll over and look at Trevor, thinking "Holy shit, you're my husband. I get to keep you!" Our first year of marriage has been "different" because we've been learning and growing together, after being single and set in our ways for over 20 years. I still don’t believe in “soul mates,” but my life is complete with Trevor at my side. He truly is my better half, and he continually shows me that every day. No one knows me and loves me like he does. I can’t imagine where I would be had he not came into the apartment that early spring afternoon in 2012 and plopped down on the couch next to me and had I not given him a chance. He wasn't what I was expecting at that moment, but he's what I needed then and forever. I'm constantly amazed at the endless love he shows me and the overwhelming feelings I have for him. I lucked out in the husband department.
I love you Trevor Sean Green, so freaking much. I can't wait to continue to take on the world with you. 

So, without further ado, here is my list:

52 Things I’ve Learned Being Married for 52 Weeks

1. My side of the room is always going to be much cleaner than Trev’s, unless he learns how to throw his clothes in the laundry basket.

2. Trevor likes to try and roll over me when he sleeps.

3. It’s ‘our’ money – not mine, not his, but ours. Is he going to benefit from that jewelry I just bought? No. Am I going to benefit from that new video game he just bought? No. Purchases should be made together, and if you're going to go shopping for yourself, make sure that the spouse knows about it.

4. When Trevor’s falling asleep, he violently twitches at least once and scares the crap out of me.

5. Cooking can be fun, but it’s so much simpler to just get take-out or fast food. {Oops - we're fatties over here.}

6. There’s more to marriage than a wedding. Weddings are fun, but as soon as they're over, real life begins and you have to be able to handle that. I thank my lucky stars every day that I married a mature {sometimes goofy} husband who understood that and handles life like a champ.

7. According to Trevor, I am a “sleep-swearer.” One night I said the f*** word six or seven times in a row.

8. Along the same lines as being a sleep-swearer, I also get really sleep-grumpy and growl at Trev if he tries to make me move over if I've fallen asleep without him in the bed. Sometimes he has to physically push me over because I just won’t move.

9. Sometimes, my husband is going to make more money than me. Sometimes, I’m going to make more money than him. It’s okay!

10. Visiting with and being around extended family is important. (:

11. Girls are still dramatic, even after you’re married and an adult. I admit, I'm still a dramatic little thing too. I think it's just in females nature.

12. Sometimes you need to bite your tongue and keep your snarky comments to yourself, especially if it’s about the church or the ridiculousness of birthday parties. Inside joke.

13. There shouldn't be any reason to argue over money. Arguing doesn't change anything.

14. Don’t feel pressured into going to church//believing in the church//getting sealed in the temple//just because that’s what everyone else does. {Some people have asked so I'll just answer - no, we're not going to be sealed in the temple anytime soon.}

15. Prayer is important – doesn't matter if you’re praying to a Heavenly Father, a golden statue, or some other sort of being.

16. We will never have a baby while we still live in an apartment, because the walls are too thin and nobody wants to hear a screaming baby all the time. *cough cough neighbors, I’m looking at you.* {They're really nice people, they're baby is just really unhappy.}

17. It’s okay to still have friends and a life even after you’re married, as long as your husband/wife remains your number one best friend and priority.

18. Make sure you at least know your neighbors’ names, so that when their fire alarms start going off and you have to call the police/fire department because you smell & see smoke and your neighbors aren't home, you don’t get asked, “Well, don’t you know your neighbors?” a million times by ignorant police officers.

19. My littlest brother Tedo loves Trevor way more than he loves me. Trev loves having a little brother; it's so much fun for me to watch them together.

20. Makeup sex truly is the best way to stop being grumpy with each other.

21. Say goodbye//distance yourself from friends who aren't supportive of you and your husband.

22. Living with your brother-in-law for seven weeks isn't ideal nor necessarily recommended, but it's great for racking up your good karma points. Love you, Cam!

23. Sex is also a great way to defuse negative energy and stress.

24. Trevor is terrified that I’m going to get shot and killed by a fellow driver due to my road rage. (He learned about this phenomenon in driver’s ed – guess that’s what they tell you in little small towns.)

25. Trevor also hates that my hair sheds, so he refuses to hang his towel in the bathroom next to mine, for fear he might get hair on his towel.

26. I have a hard time kissing Trev with his morning breath, after he’s eaten something with ranch dressing or garlic, or after he’s drank milk. I can’t handle the smells. {I'm going to be the worst pregnant woman when it comes to smells.}

27. Walking around the house naked is acceptable, but make sure you cover up when cooking. Hot bacon grease on your goodies doesn't feel the best.

28. Trevor grows a mean neck beard, like Watto on Star Wars I: The Phantom Menance.

29. Marrying into a family that has faced divorce multiple times and has step-siblings//step-aunts and uncles//step-cousins//etc. is something you have to adjust to if you’re from a “non-divorce” family.

30. Bills (power, gas, internet, TV, insurance, cell phones, etc.) are expensive. We would be rich if we would just live in a hole with nothing.

31. Date night once a week is essential, even if it’s just getting take-out, renting movies from Hollywood videos, and cuddling all night. Those are my favorite kind of dates.

32. I worry way, way, WAY too much about “what ifs” and Trev deals with my worries so well.

33. You’re not always going to feel that heart pounding, butterfly inducing, overpowering love all the time. It comes in the moments you least expect it – like when he’s vacuuming the apartment and he just looks so damn sexy, or when you’re sitting across from him at dinner and he just looks at you a certain way.

34. We love watching movies and shows together – not only does it give us time to snuggle, but we love critiquing and talking about characters, the plots, the special effects, etc.

35. If we’re arguing and we trying to reach a conclusion//agree to disagree// I can literally count to 15 and sure enough, Trev will start talking again trying to resolve the problem, sometimes even after it's been resolved..

36. Sometimes I just need to go into the bedroom and calm down for about ten minutes so I don’t lose my temper. Trev's had to learn to not try to fix the problem right then, but just to give me my space.

37. Trevor has some of the stinkiest farts I've ever smelled – and I think I’m growing immune to them.

38. I've never had a sister before, but having a sister-in-law is really nice.

39. I have to cuddle with Trev before I fall asleep, and every time I cuddle up next to him, Trevor says “There’s my girl” and kisses my nose or forehead.

40. Flowers die all too fast, but it still gives me butterflies to come home to them sitting on the table from my husband.

41. Trev can’t read my mind unfortunately, and I can’t read his. Communication, even over the littlest of things, is so, SO important!

42. Trevor isn't a yeller and he hardly ever gets mad. So, when he does get mad, you know it’s something big and serious and you better listen. He never really yells at me though, and I love that about him. His anger level is a 1 - mine is a 20. 

43. I get serious buyer’s remorse after making big purchases – for example, like my orange Chevy Sonic. Trev had to convince me that everything was fine and we needed a new car and it was a good purchase for a solid week. Good thing he’s patient with me.

44. Sometimes Trev’s ADD kicks in and we've noticed he’s more spacey//interrupting when he hasn’t had enough sleep the night before. I've just learned to deal with it by waving my hand in his face on those days, and saying “Are you with me?” instead of getting grumpy. Haha. (:

45. Baby hunger is a real thing for both women and men. If I didn't have the IUD, I would probably be pregnant and we would be screwed.

46. Lying in bed after the alarms have gone off just to get a few more snuggles and have early morning conversations are great. Lying in bed late at night snuggling and talking is also great. Being in bed together is just awesome. ;)

47. As hard as it is, try not to compare your marriage to someone else’s. Each relationship is different and no two relationships are the same. Just enjoy yours and how unique it is to you and him.
48. Pictures are important to take because it captures the moment and freezes it forever. Our children are going to have lots of things to look at of their mom and dad someday. Thanks babe for always taking pictures with me.
49. Video games were one of my big worries when we got married because I don't really like them and Trev loves them. Marriage is about compromise and not limiting your spouse's hobbies and personality. I'm happy to say that I started messing around with Trev on Grand Theft Auto the other night, and actually had a good time. (:
50. You can't force people to change. People have to change on their own.
51. Life can be big and scary, full of unexpected twists and turns. It's so much easier and nicer to take on the world with a partner who is your best friend. Marrying your best friend is ideal - it's like a sleepover every night full of giggles, stories, and memories.
52. Love is the most magical and best thing in the whole entire world, and I'm so lucky to have love in my life. Everyone should get married and find a "Trevor."

I'm off to enjoy the day with my husband - dinner, going to watch Guardians of the Galaxy, watching our wedding video, and lots of snuggling and kissing. I'm swear I'm going to update this blog in the next couple of weeks before school starts and life gets extremely crazy again.