The Best Part about Being Married

Jon and I celebrated three whole years this week! And in our generation, every passing year of marriage is worth a gigantic celebration. So celebrate we did! We went to a fancy dinner at Steinhilber's and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

My sister asked me this week what my favorite part about being married was. And it was actually a really hard question to answer. I know my favorite parts about being married to Jon. I love how much fun he brings into my life, how adventurous he is, how he thinks, how he loves Jonah... but that's just like describing your favorite things about your best friend, not the best part about marriage.

It's not about how happy he makes me, because he doesn't always make me happy.
It's not about how nice it is getting to snuggle up to him every night, even though that's nice, too.
It's not about growing old with your best friend, even though that is such a privilege.
It's not about the physical intimacy, even though, let's be honest, that's awesome, too.

The more I thought about it, the more I came back to this: the commitment.

Sorry it sounds corny, but my favorite part about marriage right now is the commitment.

Before we started dating, Jon told me that he was looking for a woman he could struggle with. Someone to go through hard times with. Someone who didn't have to like him or like the situation to stick it out and work hard. And I'm so glad he chose me for that.

And if there is one thing I've learned in marriage, it's that (sorry, one more corny line): love is a choice. And not a one-time thing, but a daily thing.

That recurring choice has been one of the hardest things I've ever been a part of because it goes so far against what is comfortable or exciting or self-seeking.

That's what brings me back over and over to my favorite part about being married: the commitment. In no other relationship or friendship do you live with someone who has committed to choose you over and over, even when it's not fun or you're not happy, or one of you is being super unlovable. It's the decision to make that choice over and over and over and over and over.

This summer has been hard, but this week has been really good. God is so good. He is so faithful to show up when He's invited. And these are weeks, days, moments I don't want to forget when things get hard again - whether that's in a week or in three more years.

I'm thankful for a man who knew marriage wasn't going to be easy before he got into it. He was looking for someone to struggle with and struggle for. Thankful for the grace that helps me continue to choose him, to choose us, to choose Jesus. And thankful for every up and down of these last three years that I have gotten to spend with the man that is beyond my wildest dreams.

What is YOUR favorite part about being married? Tell me tell me!