the simplicity of being together

I have a story for you- it comes to mind today particularly. You see- I got married at a fairly young age so now even after a couple years of marriage I still look pretty young to be a "married woman." People always look shocked when they find out I'm married (to their credit I don't wear or even own a wedding band- just my beautiful solitaire). Then after that the statement always comes out "Oh- you must have been high school sweethearts" but we were not.

I met my husband when I was studying graphic design in college (it was my second year of college), and I was nineteen years old. We got married eighteen months later. Everyone but our families thought we were rushing into it and completely crazy. They all thought I was throwing away my freedom and my future.But it was the exact opposite. It was like moment I realized that I wanted to be a graphic designer. It made sense and there wasn't really any other option in my mind. I was going to be a graphic designer. When I realized I loved my husband (before he was my husband) there was no other option in my mind- we were going to get married. He was a part of me just as much as my passion for graphic design was a part of me.The moment I met my hubby wasn't butterflies and lightning bolts and music in the air- I was suspicious of relationships and boys after a couple disastrous experiences. I know I was young, but I was tired of shallow dating. I wanted something real and substantial that didn't feel forced. I told myself I wouldn't get involved again unless it had a chance of being real, and I was willing to wait for it whenever it came.Literally only a few months after my decision to only pursue 'real' relationships I met my husband. I liked him, but I didn't know him. So I tried to pace myself- I didn't hunt him down on facebook (he hunted me down- its wonderful to be pursued). He asked me to join him a couple times for different things- a movie, a party, and a concert... but I turned him down cause I wasn't sure if he was just being nice or if he was really interested in me (and I did truly have legitimate reasons why I couldn't go to a couple of them). I didn't want to follow him around with my tongue hanging out if he wasn't interested.He kept asking though- even after being turned down several times he kept on asking so I said yes. Almost from that point on we were inseparable, but it wasn't until about a month after we started dating when I was driving home from a date that I was struck by the realization that I loved him and would marry him. There was no other option.I'm not trying to tell you we are a perfect couple- we're a normal couple. We laugh together and fight with each other... and we hurt each other's feelings and we build each other up... and we have habits that drive the other crazy sometimes. We're completely and utterly normal. I don't believe we are 'honeymooners' anymore, but we still adore each other. We trust each other with every secret and every thought, but we are also learning to communicate better and to be a little more selfless and put the other before ourselves.Life is lovely and beautiful. We try to be adventurous and try new things and have little excursions together, but in the end we are still perfectly comfortable just being together and doing nothing. And I love that.It was three years ago today that I married my handsome hubby- today is my anniversary. :D