Newlywed Diaries: 6 Months

Has it really been half of a year already?

Days and months are flying by and the sweeter and sweeter our love grows. I'm just now realizing 5 months came and went without warning and because it was the busiest month of the year for both of us, I didn't even think about blogging. Yup, caught me red handed.

I'm so thankful to finally come up for air. It's a blessing to be busy but it's also tiresome. I'm so thankful for my husband who helped me get through 8 weeks of weddings not simply by second shooting, or assisting. But by helping me in ways no one ever sees like back rubs, or foot rubs, or picking up food on days I just didn't have strength to cook {recovering from long wedding nights}, or by letting me indulge in buying countless candles for my epsom salt baths that help me "de-stress" every weekend,  for being understanding and crazy patient with me even when I'm not because I'm stressed, and most importantly helping me and supporting me through prayer, kind and encouraging words and his love. I am blessing.

I've got nothing truly "new" to report as a newlywed. Honestly after 6 months the newness of marriage is wearing off, but not in a bad way. We've settled in, we've worked through highs and lows together, we've fought, we've cried, we've laughed {we're always laughing},  we've traveled, we've stayed home, we've cooked, we've cleaned, we've not cleaned, we've grown in our love for each other and our love for the Lord, and we've adventured. This is normal life to us now. It's beautiful, and simple, no bells and whistles ... this is just us. Everything now feels worn in and normal. 

Not to say we have it all figured out, or that we're experts on marriage now, we're rookies and we know it.  "New" is just not a word we use very often these days. Our once new pots and pans now bare  cooking battle scars, our once new cups and plates now have scratches or chips on some of them, our once perfectly folded and organized linen closet is now in constant disarray from daily living. New is no longer what defines this season, it only defines the new mercies God covers us with each and every day. Normal is where we've found ourselves. Normal is the season. But normal has never been so sweet. We love this normal of ours and we are thankful for each and every day of it.

With that said, I'll no longer be posting any newlywed diaries here on my photo blog ... instead family and marriage posts will be moving to a more personal space, our family blog. Yup, it was bound to happen. We've been wanting to share more about our home, our married life, our families, our friends, and our adventures. I'll be linking our family blog here soon, but in the mean time thank you all for being with us through our journey. I've been blessed by sharing our story with you all, as you let me capture and share your stories. And honestly shared stories are what brings people together isn't it?

To all you newlyweds out there, I'm convinced marriage is like wine ... it gets better with time. 

But these first few months are some of the greatest times, and are fleeting and short. So enjoy every single second, and congrats to you and yours!

Newlywed Diaries: Summing up 3 and 4 months of Marriage

Last month I tried relentlessly to start the blog post about our third month of marriage, but with each attempt words seemed to fail me. But recently I've gotten the chance to encourage friends who are engaged and have shared what a joy it is to be married. So the words have finally found their way to me this week, which happens to already be our fourth month of marriage. And just because I didn't post on our third month doesn't mean it wasn't amazing ... it was one of the most fun filled, adventurous months of marriage by far.

In the past three to four months our home no longer feels brand spanking new. Instead it's a place that gets messy, a place that is constantly filled, a placed that is lived in, like really really lived in. Dirty dishes, and unfolded laundry are signs that we are too busy to worry about the little stuff, and instead we are out and about, keeping busy and living life.

I'm no longer surprised to find my favorite person laying next to me in the middle of the night when I can't sleep, it's one of the sweetest comforts.

These few months have been so very vibrant and bright it's made the past six years of dating seem so dim. Something I thought impossible. We have had some of the sweetest, most incredible times over the years, yet they all pail in comparison to this sweet new season.

Lastly the more I realize the strength, beauty and promises of keeping our covenant of marriage no matter what, the more I am humbled to be loved by a God who's promises are never broken. It's overwhelming trying to thinking about it, and leads me to tear more quickly these days. How sweet a God we have.

I am so blessed and thankful to be married to my best friend. Happiest 4 months Timmy!

Ps. Still want to know how was our third month of marriage? Well school's out, spending every day of our summer together is like being kids again ... and going on our "real" week long honeymoon in Miami, Florida was like a dream come true. Here's a funumentary of our time in Miami.
With Love, Currently from Nebraska

 Mrs. Remo

Newlywed Diaries: Family

We love them. 

Newlywed Diaries: Two Months of Marriage

 Ecclesiastes 4:12 says 

"Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. 

A cord of three strands is not quickly broken."

During our engagement this verse became "our verse". It moved us, rebuked us and reminded us to continually grow in our love for God and not simply our love for each other. It was the verse we held dear on our wedding day, and it's a verse we continually strive to live out daily. It's not always easy, but having a husband who always reminds me to spend time with God and not spend all my time on things that aren't as important is refreshing and encouraging. As much as I am called to be his helpmate, my husband is constantly in my corner helping me to be a better woman, a better wife, and a better friend.

In two months of marriage we've started to settle into our daily routines, and we're always learning to do new things in order to better serve the other. Tim's learnt how to make the yummiest cup of tea, and how to fold the towels just right so they fit into the linen closet like a tetris game. I've learnt new yummy recipes to fill his stomach with delight, and how to better support him in ministry. Every day is a give and take and some days we are asked to give a little extra. 

Last night we talked about how sweet it is to never really say goodbye anymore. During our dating years, goodbye usually meant "I don't know when I'll see you again." Then we'd go weeks without seeing each other or sometimes even months. But now goodbye means only being apart for a few hours. It's such a dramatic change, but probably the sweetest change of them all. "Always being with my best friend, is my favorite thing about marriage right now", said my husband.

And we are truly that: best friends.

Now, more than ever.

A few weeks ago a friend emailed me and something she said has since stuck with me, "I still love being married--it's always a gift but there's something so sweet in those first few days, weeks and months. You never have them again. "

Sometimes when we are doing stuff together like buying furniture or rearranging the house, fixing broken things already in our house, or even putting the dishes away it feels like our life is the epitome of a newlywed sitcom, but better. Learning to live life together is so fun, it's hilarious and hard work, and this beginning stage will never happen again. We are collecting so many stories to tell our kids one day and we are excited for the stories that are to come.

 Timothy, these two months have been the sweetest two months I've every known.

I love that you are not only my best friend, but you are my family, and my love.

Thank you for these two months.

Newlywed Diaries: One Month of Marriage

Last night after dinner my husband and I spent some time talking, laughing, and reminiscing. He then pulled out his guitar and sang me the song he wrote when he proposed, and then after wrote me a new song right off the top of his head. While listening I sat there remembering all the emotions I felt when we got engaged, my heart was full then ... but my heart is unmeasurable fuller now. He asked me to be his wife and now it's already been a month since our wedding day.

I looked around while he was singing, and I could see bits and pieces of our wedding day all around us. Our mailbox of cards from our loved ones, our kitchen table that served as our sweetheart table, dried bouquets that my best friends held by my side, small trinkets and big treasure chests that decorated our wedding day fill every corner of our home. Did our wedding really happen a month ago?

Marriage itself feels real, and tangable. I feel it in my fingertips and in my bones. But our wedding day only seems like a dream in my memory. It hasn't felt real until seeing our wedding photos last week. It really happened and it was as dreamy as I can remember.

Photo by I'm Kristen

If you haven't already seen it check out our wedding day photos and story over on Kristen's blog. I can't tell enough you how perfectly she captured our day on camera, but she also told the story of our special day in words just as perfectly, and probably better than I could have. Kristen is a true storyteller. Soon I'll share even more of the sweet, fun details that we enjoyed working on for the wedding. But for now I'll let Kristen's amazing work shine.

What I can tell you is that marriage is STILL all that I dreamed it would be, and more. It's fun, hard work, it's selflessness and constant "out loving" each other, it's raw and wonderful, it grows you and changes you.

We came into marriage laying everything on the table, sharing our heart and soul, making sure we really knew each other before saying "I do", and making all our expectations known. And so far there have been no suprises, but that in itself is the biggest surprise yet. We have never lived in the same state, let alone the same house. We've never seen each other this constantly EVER in 6 years of being together. We've never attended the same church, nor have we ever been in the same ministries together. We've never shared this many home cooked meals, nor have we ever shared the same room and or bed. Yet, all of these things have come with complete ease, and like that feeling of coming back from a long trip ... marriage has felt like we've finally come "home".

In a month's time we've never laughted, or smiled as much. And if you know Tim and I personally you know we can't go a day without either. We are both so silly and crazy, so living under the same roof is like a comedy show day in and day out.

Also one of the prayers we had for our home was that our door would always be open. That our home {which is bigger than we need for the two of us} would be a place friends and family can come and enjoy, fellowship or even be a safe place to rest and find comfort. And in this past month, we've had friends and family do just that. It is our joy and passion to serve others, being able to do that together in our home is sweeter than all the cake in the world.

I'll end with this, having a husband who would "die to himself daily" for me, is humbling and inspiring. And makes me strive to be that woman who is worth dying for daily. But even more so, I am reminded of God's love which is greater and sweeter than any love we find here on earth. The love that sustains our love.

To all you single folks out there, boy do you have it easy so enjoy your single years and make the most of the time you have. If you desire love, pray for love. And first work on being a man or woman worth dying for ... so that someone will find delight in you. To all you engaged couples out there, sweeter days are before you. To all you fellow newlyweds, hope you all are enjoying married life as much as we are. And to all you married folks who've stood the test of time, we've got much to learn from you and we hope and pray to be just as in love, just a strong, just as united as you all ... for the years to come.

To my dearest husband, 

You truly are my best friend. I love you more each and every day

And I'm so blessed to spend my life with you. Happy 1st month of marriage!

Tethered to you always,

Your wife.

Newlywed Diaries: Overwhelmed

I'm married.

I'm a wife and I have the most amazing husband.

I don't know where else to start but by saying how wonderful our God is.

 Though we are undeserving of such grace, love and kindness, our God has showered us with so many blessings, with so many wonderful people in our lives {family and friends}, and of course has given us the sweetest gift to spend all of our days tethered to each other as husband and wife.

Photo by my incredible talented, and sweet friend Kristen 

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, 

"plans to prosper you and not to harm you, 

but to give you hope and a future." 

- Jeremiah 29:11

Sitting at our kitchen table this morning eating breakfast by myself as my husband is at work I looked around me and started crying. I've never been this content, or satisfied, or this blessed in all my days. I thought being engaged was the sweetest season, but nothing can compair to starting a new life with my husband, Tim in our own little home that is filled with all that we need by all of the greatest family and friends. Many of these past days have been filled with the same joyful tears ... I've honestly never cried so hard because of being so happy.

 I know the days will come when we are up against the wall, no longer in the "honeymoon" stage, where marriage will test us and will be hard work. But for now, marriage is all that I dreamed it would be. It's been surprising the most natural transition I've made in life, comfortable, easy, and wonderful. It's different I tell you, but the best kind of different. Waking up to your huband praying over you as he starts his day, or constantly thinking about what to cook for tomorrow or the next day to feed two {who eat like a family of four .. because we're pigs}, or watching my husband do the dishes after dinner on his own will, or doing an endless load of laundry, or constantly working as a team in making plans, decisions, or purchases; it's truly the best kind of different.

I know, I know ... what about your wedding? 

Best day of my life!!! I'm still in awe of how wonderful our wedding day was and in due time I will share all the sweet stories, details and photos here. I honestly don't know where to even start with sharing the joys of our wedding day. But I promise to start soon, for now I'm simply overwhelmed with the joys of being a wife. 

Thank you ALL of the love, support, prayers, and warm wishes for our wedding day and our marriage ... from both near and far.

You all have made these days that much sweeter with your kindess and love. We are so grateful to be surrounded with such sweet souls.

 All praise and glory goes to our God who has made these days, days we will cherish our whole lives through.

Sincerely, Mrs. Remo