Three years

My husband and I have been married for three years.

I read every "marriage strengthening" article I can get my hands on from credible sources. Just today I read some of those articles.

I try not to compare.
I really, really try not to compare because I know that comparison destroys contentment.

In the articles I read today, people were talking about how difficult the first few years of marriage were for them. I couldn't help but compare my marriage to what I was reading. My marriage definitely came out on the better side of those comparisons.

Our marriage is very far from perfect.
We both entered this relationship with plenty of baggage.
We had a child sooner than we should have.
We pretty much did everything wrong.

Yet, we seem to be doing pretty well.

Please try to understand the context of what I say... we are currently so broke that we have not done a full grocery shopping trip this whole month. There are important decisions not being discussed. Health is being neglected. Frustrations being ignored. Needs not being met. Love languages not being spoken/heard.

Some days are hard.
Some days are merely survived.
But most days are good.
Most days are joyful.
Some days are even really happy.

While I think we could benefit from couples counseling (as could most couples), our relationship is not in peril. Neither one of us has any desire to leave. We do talk about running away together to a private island but that's something else entirely.

I thought for sure we would have had some huge fight by now. I thought for sure I'd want to run away. This is the longest I have been in a serious relationship.

There was a time, in our first year of marriage, when I wanted to run. I wanted to run because a healthy, loving relationship was so foreign to me. I told my husband how I felt and I assured him I would not leave. The feelings passed and have never really returned. I try to stay prepared for their return - I don't want to be blindsided - but it has yet to be an issue again.

I didn't know I could be this happy, for this long, in less than ideal circumstances.
I am beyond blessed.