For the Love of Penguins and Cookies

For the sake of a month of marriage...and I warn you, it might get a lil bit cheesy...

Everybody always tried to tell me marriage changes things, as if you're handed a piece of paper and after a few hours of sleep (or, er, lack of sleep), you awake in the morning a different person attached to, of course, a different person than whom you married just a few hours before.

A month into our marriage, and I can easily say not much has been a surprise. Nathaniel is the same man I loved before I married him. And the beautiful thing is, I love him even more now. We learn something new about each other every day. He's my best friend. If you only knew how ridiculous and child-like we are when we are on our own -- laughter is not in short supply in our home.

In the last month I've been taking notes...

1. Not much compares to your husband softly singing Unforgettable by Nat King Cole to you:



2. Humans could take a lesson from macaroni penguins on marriage. Not only are they kinda goofy looking and typically mate for life anyways, but the parents take turns in the incubation process. How amazing is that? These majestic albeit unusual looking birds tenderly serve each other. Lesson learned, applied to other facets of my life and stored for future reference.

3. It's the little things that count. Like notes in your lunch box filled with love in the form of food and letters:




4. Sometimes it doesn't make sense, but usually there's a reason for baking cookies. And sometimes (more often than not)...humility and apologies come hand in hand.

5. Marriage is a blessing, but it also takes work and effort on our part, as well as faith and obedience in the Lord. Prayer and scripture study go a long way. There is nothing sweeter than knowing Nathaniel is forever -- thank goodness for eternity!



Always,