A guest post by Karin Beery
November 26 – one of the most romantic days of the year. Well, for me anyway. Nine years ago today I married a tall, handsome, hairy man. A chance meeting at a coffee shop eight months earlier led us down the aisle on a blizzardy Thanksgiving weekend. I didn’t plan a fairytale wedding, nor had I dreamed of the occasion since childhood. Thanks to books and movies, however, I did have some preconceived ideas about marriage and the happily-ever-after. Boy, were they wrong.
Did you know that boys and girls define “clean” differently? I don’t think my husband has ever looked at his pile of clothes by the front door and thought, “Maybe I should put those in the hamper.” Then again, I’ve never cared much what my windows look like. Thanks to him my windows are washed regularly.
You know those husbands that spend the weekend watching football (or baseball or hockey)? Well, I don’t. My husband is more interested in mold spores than football scores. His favorite football game is the Super Bowl because when it’s over he doesn’t have to watch any more games for six months. For me? It’s the start of the countdown until next season.
And then there are the compromises. I love food, and there are millions of recipes I still need to try. The hubs would eat tacos, spaghetti, and chili every week. Boring. I can agree to one of those a week, though (even after nine years).
And this whole anniversary thing. Technically it’s November 26. That’s when we were married. Technically, however, we were also married the Saturday after Thanksgiving. That’s easier for my husband to remember. As long as he remembers to say something nice on that day, we’re good.
Married life is nothing like the movies and novels suggested, and I couldn’t be happier. My honey sees dirt in places that I don’t notice, so he cleans the areas that matter to him and I clean the places that matter to me. He lets me have the remote control during all of the live sporting events because he knows he can watch his shows as reruns. Menu planning is easy because I know what he likes (and he’s actually willing to try anything). There’s never any stress about celebrating our anniversary since we can pick from two days each year.
Fictional relationship are just that – fictional – but that doesn’t mean the real thing is bad. I don’t have a generic, Hollywood romance. My husband and I love each other in ways that minister to our specific desires and personalities. I’ll take that over flowers and chocolates any day.
About Karin
A freelance writer/editor/coach, wife, care-giver, and homemaker, Karin Beery has had more than 450 articles published in various periodicals, in addition to writing her novels. She is an active member of the American Christian Fiction Writers Association, Evangelical Press Association, and Christian Proofreaders and Editors Network. Karin is represented by Steven Hutson of Word Wise Media. You can connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, or at her website, www.karinbeery.com.
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