Happy birthday to our 9 year old goob! We are so p Happy birthday to our 9 year old goob! We are so proud of this boy. We are constantly told by others how kind and sweet his is. I mean, we know it too, but it means even more when his character shines through even when mom and dad aren't watching. We love you so much "Puppy!"
More photos from this weekend 🍂🍏⚽ More photos from this weekend 🍂🍏⚽
The start of a new school year has always felt lik The start of a new school year has always felt like more of a “New Years” to me than January 1st ever did. The air starts getting more crisp (thank goodness), the leaves start to change, and the house is quieter (now that the kids are in school, and just during the day, ha). 

Every year around this time I can clearly look back and see how our family has changed. Last year, we had just said goodbye to the boys (our first foster placement) and our family was making sense of the whirlwind that had just happened over the summer. This year, David is way more into soccer, Evy is telling me about the conversations the girls at school are having (she’s a huge people-watcher), and of course Cleo is getting so big! Her first two teeth made their appearance this week and we’re also pretty sure she said “Dada” the other night. 

It really goes by so fast. But little memories like the ones in these photos will last. I remember going apple picking with sweet family friends as a kid and I love doing that for our kids now. 

What traditions have you tried to pass down to your kids?
Evy has always been very much a Mommy's girl. Sinc Evy has always been very much a Mommy's girl. Since she's been a baby, I've been learning that she needs love in a very different way than David does. After school and before bed, she especially needs all the love, attention, and cuddles. 

Today I had a pretty hard day with several hours of intensive Zoom calls. They ended right as the kids got home from school and when I was done, I just felt this deep exhaustion and wanted nothing more than to cuddle with my kids and never look at a computer again 🤪. 

I realized that's probably how Evy (and David, but mostly Evy) typically feels after a long day. I can tell that it's especially draining for her. So I was reminded to be extra gentle with her emotions, especially on school days when there's just so much going on and it can feel pretty intense, especially at that age. And especially to us introverts 🫠 Anyone else have highly emotional kiddos?
My phone rang this morning just as we were pulling My phone rang this morning just as we were pulling away from dropping the kids at school. A little baby needed a home until his adoptive family could come get him. 

At the time, we didn’t know his name, his gender, or anything about him. We were told he was healthy and we’d get more details later.

And we said yes! We thought it would be longer but his adoptive family is BOOKING it to get here and take him home forever. He will be so loved!!

I love that we get to share moments like these with our kids. I know they’ll remember them for a looong time to come.
Sometimes I just need to remind myself that not ev Sometimes I just need to remind myself that not every moment needs to be filled with productivity. And sometimes I don't need to multitask. Easier said than done for me anyway. But I'm trying to intentionally practice slowing down. How do you try to slow down?

Shoes @naot.northamerica
Dress @shopbohme
Butterfly hair! It's easier than it looks 🦋 Do Butterfly hair! It's easier than it looks 🦋

Doing fun hairstyles with Ev has been a new way for us to bond, especially since Cleo's joined us. Would you try this one??
I'm working to adjust my mindset from thinking I n I'm working to adjust my mindset from thinking I need to rush while the baby's asleep to get things done to rather bringing them along with me when I can. 

Cleo loves being worn and, for the time being, is super content just watching me unload the dishwasher, make dinner, or tag along to grab Evy and David from the bus. 

And I'm way more at peace when I don't feel like I need to rush or time is running out. We have time and most things we have to do in a day aren't urgent.
Baby's first taste of solids: banana edition 🍌 Baby's first taste of solids: banana edition 🍌 What was the first food you gave to your baby?
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Marriage, Relationships · February 11, 2016

10 Lessons I learned in My First Month of Marriage

A few of "Huh..." moments I had within my first month of marriage.So, as some of you may know, newly married life is pretty awesome. Yeah, there’s hard times too. Maybe moving away from family (or joining an already established family) or starting a new job or just new responsibilities in general. Partner that with learning all this new stuff about the love of your life that isn’t as glamorous as you once thought. Despite this, marriage is still pretty cool. Here are a few of “Huh…” moments I had within my first month of marriage.

1 Sleeping in the same bed is the best thing ever

Seriously, the best. I still look forward to getting in bed and putting my freezing cold feel on his freakishly warm body.

2 The way my husband spits out his toothpaste is disgusting

We all have our quirks, and we all have our own way of spitting out toothpaste. Josh’s is the same every single time. I don’t have to plug my ears anymore, but I still have to go to my happy place.

3 Dishes don’t do themselves

Neither do a lot of other things. Like fixing your car, getting rid of that bug infestation they failed to mention when you moved into your first apartment. We were on the younger side when we got married (both 21) and hadn’t experienced a lot of life yet. But the best way to learn is to throw yourself in and learn from experience (whether by choice or just doing what you gotta do)!

4 Loads of laundry is more literal than you realize

I hate laundry. And while you and your hubs will probably try to share housework, there’ll probably be some things that are unspokenly your job. Laundry is mine… but I still don’t do it.

5 Having one car is totally doable (depending on your work situations) and will actually let you spend more time together

The more we had to work, the more valuable our short car rides were together. I found myself reaching for Josh’s hand more and wanting to apologize for the dumb thing I said earlier before we had to say our goodbyes for the day. I learned to cherish the short moments before we parted ways.

6 My husband is more stressed than he let’s on

They’re not lying when they say “Hindsight is 20/20.” I used to have no idea why Josh would freak out when I would spend more money than anticipated at the grocery store, when, to me, I was just buying the basics. I know now that he was stressed about being a new provider. If your husband seems hung up on the little things, ask yourself if he could be stressed, and then try to be reassuring. They need to know they’re doing a good job at being a husband.

7 “Intimacy” makes men sleepy. “Ok, well… goodnight then…”

“Pillow talk” becomes more of a pat on the head and then the sound of snoring a few minutes later. It’s ok. I know he loves me. My point is, sex is great; but chances are, it’s not going to be like the movies.

Little problems don’t go away, they get worse…

I’m going to be pretty transparent here (with Josh’s permission) and say that before we got married, Josh and I both knew that he had a bit of an anger problem (but was never violent). And I guess I thought things would just kind of get better when we got married? And they did! But not before they got worse… It took a lot of prayer on my part and a lot of self awareness and prayer on Josh’s part to overcome. And we’re both so thankful that we can finally use the word “overcome” when we talk about it today.

9 Everybody poops

I think this came as more of a shock to my husband. But every marriage will have their own standards of when the bathroom door needs to be shut and when it’s ok to leave it open.

10 Don’t read into your husband’s actions too much, he really does love you

When we were first married, everything my husband did meant something about his expectations and respect for me. Or so I thought. Sooo many fights that left my poor husband thinking l, “Whaaaat just happened???” Men are usually pretty simple. Yeah, you’ll come by some bad habits that have a root problem that needs to be dealt with. But thinking the best of your spouse and assuming that he loves you and respects you will save you a lot of unnecessary conflict.

So, what did you learn in those early days?? Got any good newlywed stories to tell? Share them in the comments below! And don’t forget, if you loved this post, share with friends!

In: Marriage, Relationships · Tagged: expectations, husband, marriage, married life, newlyweds, Relationships, wedding, wife, young love

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Comments

  1. Christine says

    February 11, 2016 at 4:59 pm

    It is very interesting what you learn when you get married. Some days can be frustrating, disgusting and crazy. But it is the best thing and I wouldn’t change my married life for anything.

  2. Jenna says

    February 11, 2016 at 5:13 pm

    This is great. My husband and I had one car for our first 5 years of marriage and it worked out great, it’s nice to get to spend some extra time together.

  3. Amberly says

    February 11, 2016 at 5:28 pm

    If only dishes would do themselves…. 🙂

  4. Amanda | Maple Alps says

    February 11, 2016 at 7:53 pm

    Loved this post! Really though. Thanks for sharing from one newlywed to another 🙂

  5. Shaylee Field says

    February 11, 2016 at 10:39 pm

    I’m going to be a newlywed next year so I had to read your post! We’ve already lived together for 5 years though so most of these things I am VERY aware of already lol 😉

  6. Jenny says

    February 12, 2016 at 3:32 am

    SO true!
    I currently live with my fiance and learned some of these already haha.
    Laundry is also my job…oh boy.

    xoxo, Jenny

  7. Mattie says

    February 12, 2016 at 6:04 am

    Such an honest post! I love it!
    I’m not married, but so many things to look forward to! haha
    ~Mattie
    http://www.mattiesmakings.com

  8. Keating says

    February 12, 2016 at 10:29 am

    Haha #7 made me laugh. My husband falls asleep super quickly at night whereas my anxiety keeps me up long after he’s fallen asleep. So if I want something more than a kiss goodnight, I have to act on it fast before he falls asleep! haha and I very much wish dishes just did themselves. Laundry too. My life would be so much easier! Great post 🙂

  9. Carmen says

    May 26, 2016 at 6:59 am

    This post is so cute! I laughed a few times! Everything is so true, probably didn’t laugh at all those things when it first all happened but now I can look back and laugh with my hubby. which is a blessing!

  10. PETRECE RILEY says

    June 5, 2016 at 5:20 am

    Omg! Thank you for sharing. I am in my fourth year of marriage with two kids ages 2 and 3 and so it hasn’t been easy. However, after reading this i am encouraged and hope to see more of these types of discussions.

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Hi! I'm Chelsea and we're the Damon's. We spent the last two years in WA state paying off student loans and just bought our first house in SC! I love a smooth black coffee, Josh's first love is the Seattle Sounders. Our kids are huge dorks and constantly make us laugh and we all love spending as much time outside as possible.

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Happy birthday to our 9 year old goob! We are so p Happy birthday to our 9 year old goob! We are so proud of this boy. We are constantly told by others how kind and sweet his is. I mean, we know it too, but it means even more when his character shines through even when mom and dad aren't watching. We love you so much "Puppy!"
More photos from this weekend 🍂🍏⚽ More photos from this weekend 🍂🍏⚽
The start of a new school year has always felt lik The start of a new school year has always felt like more of a “New Years” to me than January 1st ever did. The air starts getting more crisp (thank goodness), the leaves start to change, and the house is quieter (now that the kids are in school, and just during the day, ha). 

Every year around this time I can clearly look back and see how our family has changed. Last year, we had just said goodbye to the boys (our first foster placement) and our family was making sense of the whirlwind that had just happened over the summer. This year, David is way more into soccer, Evy is telling me about the conversations the girls at school are having (she’s a huge people-watcher), and of course Cleo is getting so big! Her first two teeth made their appearance this week and we’re also pretty sure she said “Dada” the other night. 

It really goes by so fast. But little memories like the ones in these photos will last. I remember going apple picking with sweet family friends as a kid and I love doing that for our kids now. 

What traditions have you tried to pass down to your kids?
Evy has always been very much a Mommy's girl. Sinc Evy has always been very much a Mommy's girl. Since she's been a baby, I've been learning that she needs love in a very different way than David does. After school and before bed, she especially needs all the love, attention, and cuddles. 

Today I had a pretty hard day with several hours of intensive Zoom calls. They ended right as the kids got home from school and when I was done, I just felt this deep exhaustion and wanted nothing more than to cuddle with my kids and never look at a computer again 🤪. 

I realized that's probably how Evy (and David, but mostly Evy) typically feels after a long day. I can tell that it's especially draining for her. So I was reminded to be extra gentle with her emotions, especially on school days when there's just so much going on and it can feel pretty intense, especially at that age. And especially to us introverts 🫠 Anyone else have highly emotional kiddos?

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Happy birthday to our 9 year old goob! We are so p Happy birthday to our 9 year old goob! We are so proud of this boy. We are constantly told by others how kind and sweet his is. I mean, we know it too, but it means even more when his character shines through even when mom and dad aren't watching. We love you so much "Puppy!"
More photos from this weekend 🍂🍏⚽ More photos from this weekend 🍂🍏⚽
The start of a new school year has always felt lik The start of a new school year has always felt like more of a “New Years” to me than January 1st ever did. The air starts getting more crisp (thank goodness), the leaves start to change, and the house is quieter (now that the kids are in school, and just during the day, ha). 

Every year around this time I can clearly look back and see how our family has changed. Last year, we had just said goodbye to the boys (our first foster placement) and our family was making sense of the whirlwind that had just happened over the summer. This year, David is way more into soccer, Evy is telling me about the conversations the girls at school are having (she’s a huge people-watcher), and of course Cleo is getting so big! Her first two teeth made their appearance this week and we’re also pretty sure she said “Dada” the other night. 

It really goes by so fast. But little memories like the ones in these photos will last. I remember going apple picking with sweet family friends as a kid and I love doing that for our kids now. 

What traditions have you tried to pass down to your kids?
Evy has always been very much a Mommy's girl. Sinc Evy has always been very much a Mommy's girl. Since she's been a baby, I've been learning that she needs love in a very different way than David does. After school and before bed, she especially needs all the love, attention, and cuddles. 

Today I had a pretty hard day with several hours of intensive Zoom calls. They ended right as the kids got home from school and when I was done, I just felt this deep exhaustion and wanted nothing more than to cuddle with my kids and never look at a computer again 🤪. 

I realized that's probably how Evy (and David, but mostly Evy) typically feels after a long day. I can tell that it's especially draining for her. So I was reminded to be extra gentle with her emotions, especially on school days when there's just so much going on and it can feel pretty intense, especially at that age. And especially to us introverts 🫠 Anyone else have highly emotional kiddos?
My phone rang this morning just as we were pulling My phone rang this morning just as we were pulling away from dropping the kids at school. A little baby needed a home until his adoptive family could come get him. 

At the time, we didn’t know his name, his gender, or anything about him. We were told he was healthy and we’d get more details later.

And we said yes! We thought it would be longer but his adoptive family is BOOKING it to get here and take him home forever. He will be so loved!!

I love that we get to share moments like these with our kids. I know they’ll remember them for a looong time to come.
Sometimes I just need to remind myself that not ev Sometimes I just need to remind myself that not every moment needs to be filled with productivity. And sometimes I don't need to multitask. Easier said than done for me anyway. But I'm trying to intentionally practice slowing down. How do you try to slow down?

Shoes @naot.northamerica
Dress @shopbohme
Butterfly hair! It's easier than it looks 🦋 Do Butterfly hair! It's easier than it looks 🦋

Doing fun hairstyles with Ev has been a new way for us to bond, especially since Cleo's joined us. Would you try this one??
I'm working to adjust my mindset from thinking I n I'm working to adjust my mindset from thinking I need to rush while the baby's asleep to get things done to rather bringing them along with me when I can. 

Cleo loves being worn and, for the time being, is super content just watching me unload the dishwasher, make dinner, or tag along to grab Evy and David from the bus. 

And I'm way more at peace when I don't feel like I need to rush or time is running out. We have time and most things we have to do in a day aren't urgent.
Baby's first taste of solids: banana edition 🍌 Baby's first taste of solids: banana edition 🍌 What was the first food you gave to your baby?
Just a Wednesday afternoon and a book 📖 👀 th Just a Wednesday afternoon and a book 📖
👀 the comfiest heels I own by @naot.northamerica 
#naotic

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