[Note: You'll have to forgive me for being a complete cheeseball in this post. It happens.]
Today I celebrate my first anniversary with my husband. 
There’s a juicy story regarding how our marriage came about, one I may share here eventually, but for now I’ll just say our wedding wasn’t the idyllic experience of most. We practically eloped. At the time, there was a flurry of opinions regarding the decision. Dissension and pain hovered nearby. But among the mixed emotions I had as the moment of matrimony came upon us, happiness prevailed. I was blanketed by an overwhelming sensation of lightness, clarity, security, certainty. As the minister led our modest ceremony, I remember smiling so wide, almost laughing, because I was just giddy. I was so in love that day. And I still am.
…..
A la the lovely apricot tea, I’ve compiled a list of
15 things I’m still getting used to in marriage:
1. Rising before the sun to watch United matches.
2. Being called some form of pretty every single day.
3. Feeling pretty (almost) every day.
4. Nikolay’s use of British expressions like “rubbish,” “I reckon,” “tidy,” “mong,” (translation: idiot),”well strong,” “what a shower,” “house worm” (translation: homebody). Actually, not sure if that last one’s British or just a Nikolay-ism.
5. Referring to him as my husband. The word still stumbles awkwardly out of my mouth.
6. When references to nostalgic things from my childhood like Saved By The Bell or Clueless go right over his head. He does get my Friends ones though.
7. Watching way more “guy” stuff. Action/martial arts/sports movies, MMA, UFC, Strikeforce, etc.
8. Arguing. Something astonishing happens when you argue with your spouse. When you get mad at him, you also get mad at yourself — because you chose this damn person who’s at odds with you.
9. Making up.
10. How beyond-adorable it is to wake up and see my husband and my puppy nestled together in peaceful slumber. Exhibits A, B, & C.
11. “Managing” money with someone else. I use the quotation marks because we haven’t quite gotten it down yet.
12. Scheduling. Everything. When it’s just you, it’s easy to decide to do anything on a whim. Now things must be coordinated. Luckily for me, my husband values alone time as much as I do so he’s supportive when I randomly declare “I’m going for a girls weekend in San Diego in three weeks.”
13. How he can tell I’m in a bad mood before I even realize it. I tried convincing myself that him pointing out my bad mood actually brought said mood about, but… no.
14. Using the excuse “sorry, I’m married” if I get hit on. I don’t actually pull this one out unless someone’s unusually persistent and it’s a must.
15. Responding to a variety of nicknames, several food-related. These include pumpkin, pumpkin pie, cupcake, amazing-face, babyface, schmoopyface, schmoopy-woopo, schmoopo, schmoop, schmoo, and most recently just “face” or “my face.” We rarely, if ever, call each other by our actual names. This only proves problematic when we need to get each others’ attention in a public place.
& 9 things I kinda sorta love about my marriage:
1. Rising before the sun to watch United matches.
2. Cuddles and kisses and… ya know.
3. How I can ask “how was your poop?” in all seriousness. And receive an honest assessment in reply.
4. Eating dinner together really really late at night. Or more likely, dessert.
5. I can stare at him unabashedly. (Creepy?)
6. Conversations that last for hours.
7. Slow-dancing to no music.
8. How I no longer have to yell utter the gentle reminder “Recycle, babyface!” and instead he points out to me each time he puts a recyclable in the right bin.
9. (I don’t think he notices that he does this and I’m afraid I might ruin it by mentioning it here, but…) Every now and again, my husband looks at me and takes in my features as if it’s the first time he’s seeing me. He’ll cup my face in his hands and say “so pretty,” not as a compliment – just a fact. I melt every time.
It’s a funny thing, being in love. People say love is blinding, but they’re wrong. You see everything in this person, every beauty and every flaw, and you want it all.
