This weekend, E and I will have been married for five years. I know in the eyes of our parents that’s still baby stages. But for us it’s a major milestone. We’ve owned two houses, rescued twin cats, had one baby, gone through multiple job changes, and shoveled out of countless snowstorms. This five year anniversary comes with lots of reflections, a great deal of gratitude, and so much excitement for what’s ahead.
In celebration of our years together, we had the pleasure of partnering with a new-to-me company. Spoiler alert: they’re essentially my dream come true. Based out of New York, AU Rate is a fine jewelry company focused on transparency, sustainability, and quality. Their designs are minimal, timeless, and yet remain uniquely beautiful. In honor of this occasion, we chose the Infinity Band. E picked it out for me (I also had my eye on this necklace and these earrings). I love the way this ring complements my other dainty jewelry and immediately became another piece to wear daily.
And to continue our anniversary tradition, E and I answered a few questions about this past year and what we’ve learned over the last five. We hope you enjoy! xx
What was the biggest challenge you overcame this year?
L: Oh man, I’d say figuring out our parenting roles has been a big challenge. Not just how we do that individually, but how we work together as a team. Toddlers are certainly precious but their tantrums are no joke. So even our approach to that kind of situation requires communication. We know it’s important to be on the same page but that certainly takes (constant) work.
E: Well there have been many challenges this year and I think for me working in my previous job as new parents was the most challenging thing. Practically never seeing Colton or Leslie Monday-Friday was extraordinarily hard on both of us and left Leslie (essentially) a single parent except on the weekends. Both Leslie and I overcame the challenges that arose out of this situation and I think it even helped us to appreciate the time we get to spend together as a family more now.
How do you make one another feel loved?
L: I can honestly say that E never requires much. He so genuinely appreciates any small gesture. So things like preparing dinner, or doing a chore so he doesn’t have to–those things put a smile on his face. And did I mention baked goods?
E: Back rubs, neck rubs, foot rubs and back scratches. Leslie loves them and its an easy way for me to encourage her to relax (which she seldomly does).
Name your favorite moment of the last twelve months.
L: Colton’s first birthday party was a pretty amazing day. It gave us a chance to reflect on how much we’d been through. And we also got to baffle at the fact that we’d kept a tiny human alive f0r 365 days. So that’s certainly a highlight for me. Having our friends and family there also upped the celebration factor.
E: Colton’s first Christmas. Colton and I watched It’s A Wonderful Life in the early morning. And having the first grandson on Christmas morning with the family brought a whole new level of joy and life into the celebration.
What’s your favorite quirk about the other person? Least favorite quirk?
L: Favorite quirk: E dances to theme songs–like, really dances (think Golden Girls, Friends, Blue Bloods). He gets so into it. No matter what day we’ve had, that always gets my loudest belly laugh. Least favorite: he makes a lot of corny jokes (like dad jokes but on fanny-pack steroids). However, it’s not just the jokes on their own. He always follows these awful jokes with a prolonged look and then says, “I’m joking, I’m joking. It’s just a joke.” It’s as if, because I didn’t laugh, somehow I’m the one who just didn’t get the joke. Sorry, honey–I got it. It just wasn’t worth a laugh.
E: Favorite quirk – Leslie’s musical laugh, if you’ve heard it you know what I mean! Least favorite quirk – Leslie likes to pick off her nail polish and I can’t stand the sound of it chipping away!! Also, I can’t stand that she is always cold…which means I’m left always overheating!
What are three words that describe your marriage at this point?
L: Nurturing, unfolding, candid.
E: Growing, partnership, understanding.
Share one accomplishment the other person has had this year that you’re proud of.
L: He got a new job back in February and has been crushing it ever since. This position is his dream and to see him excel at something he truly loves is incredible. It’s given E a whole new demeanor, motivation, and source of contentment.
E: Ummm my wife carried our son for 9 months, birthed him and has continued to nurture and provide him his daily nutrition over the past 15 months, need I say more? Her selflessness is overwhelmingly evident in everything she does.
What is one thing you’d change about your marriage right now? What’s one thing you want to keep the same?
L: I don’t think I’ve prioritized our ‘married couple’ time very well. When Colton goes to bed we’re both just fairly exhausted and date nights are never high on the priority list. I think we need to work on that. On the other hand, we’ve both been prioritizing health over the last few months. With what we eat, making time to work out, and even what we’re reading or watching (The Bachelorette aside), it feels good to be taking care of our bodies with this joint effort.
E: I would love to add more “date-nights” into our routine. In the days following our son’s birth, it felt as if our marriage had strengthened by 5 years, if that makes any sense. If you’ve been blessed with children you may know what I mean. Since that joyous occasion, our focus has evidently (and understandably so) been focused on Colton, leaving little/less time for Leslie and me. I love that our weekends are built around family and spending time together.
p.s. read our other anniversary posts here, here, here, and here.
