Romance in Marriage...

Hi! :D I just read a married couple's courtship story on a blog. It got me reminiscing so much that I wrote a long response about the beginning of my love story with Miles. :)

I am SO IN LOVE with Miles! :) He is amazing! Oh sure, there are little things he does that drive me crazy (on occasion - as I'm sure there is with any couple). And we really have challenged each other here and there through the years... No one is perfect. :o But aside from the normal little bits of shear humanness that exist in all humans - and after many years of refining and some extra amazing refinement in the past couple of years ( ;0 lol) - this man of mine is simply AMAZING! :D

This should have been WHITE! :O
Still laughing! :)

Honestly, in SO MANY ways, he shocks me with truly AMAZING moments!  And I love that these wonderful moments grow more frequent. It is fun to watch a person grow. Lately I have been blessed to witness some very Christlike actions through Miles. Miles does things FOR ME - in his heart and mind - displaying unheard of patience, lack of judging, seeing the best in me... we are talking about pure and simple CHARITY... things that I don't even dream of doing to such an extent until I see him do it - and then I pray to be that way too.

And he adores me... I really appreciate that - when he really treats me like he adores me! I am just so blessed to have such a husband! It is by no merit of my own. Well, he thinks I'm pretty special. :) There are moments in which I bask in his love - and know - I'm blessed beyond imagination! :) (I hope you aren't puking yet - there is still so much more mush to come! ;)

We camped in the Olympic National Rain Forest for our Honeymoon ~ 24 years ago... :)

Sliding around on a frozen pond together (with our kids) a few years ago...
~ An old winter family tradition ~

OK. Time to bring this to a close. I think I'll first share with you the comment I put on that blog post I mentioned (reflecting on our love story). I made just a few small alterations here (I am the author after all :) ~ I hope you enjoy it as much as I do... :)

"This story is BEAUTIFUL! :D How wonderful it is that you have your first conversations IN PRINT (I would love to go back in time and record or write ours down)! :D Your love story with your husband reminds me of my husbands and mine in so many ways (no previous marriages - but the almost "instantly in love" I can relate to! - In fact, "our song" starts out 'I knew I loved you before I met you. I think I dreamed you into life.').

"My husband and I hit it off immediately. But we didn't have text phones back then. We talked on the phone. For HOURS. Before our first date, we both already had that gut feeling that we would be married. On our FIRST date he looked into my eyes and sincerely told me, "Corine, one day I'm going to marry you." I laughed out loud (for sheer delight! :D) but couldn't believe I was thinking what I was thinking. I mean, I was only 18 and this was my first date with this dashing young man; how could I even CONSIDER thinking such things? :o So I 'pretended' NOT to consider such things. And as I laughed I said to him, 'yeah... right!' And then I thought to myself, 'He Really IS going to marry me! :D' And my heart leapt for joy. :)

"That was 24 years ago. Oh, and by the way, we were officially engaged two months after that first date, and married two months later in the Portland Oregon Temple. :) We now have four teenagers, and we are the best of friends.

"We have had our ups and downs. There have been serious challenges and we still have a few hang-ups to overcome. Life has had it's share of thorns among the roses. But the life I see Miles and I creating together now is so worth every single thorn! I just keep falling in love with this man OVER AND OVER AGAIN! :D 

"I know how much Heavenly Father has blessed me by giving me this sweet man, just as I knew when we were engaged to be married how blessed I was. I wish I had remembered that always - as the newness faded and the trials came, I sometimes forgot...  I'm thankful  though, that - I never can again. He is the other half that makes me whole. He is my eternal friend... :)

"Wishing you many wonderful years together, now and throughout eternity..."

PS. To couples who "want" what we have (I get that.. People tell me that)... Give it time. Love, with all your heart. Love unconditionally and with patience. Learn to see the glass half full. Don't get discouraged by your spouses imperfections and hangups - or your own - Just focus on the best and keep moving forward! Know that every great relationship has it's struggles. Feelings can change from good to bad in an instant - they can go from bad to good in an instant as well... It takes work and a positive outlook to make and keep a marriage good. And especially, remember that with a great deal of forgiveness and unconditional love, any marriage can be GREAT!  :) ~ I hope you HAVE A HAPPY DAY and enjoy adding romance into your marriage! ~

Corine :D