Relationship Series: Maiedae

Hello! Savannah here, from Maiedae. Jenny is one of my very bestest friends and I'm SO excited for her as she celebrates her marriage with her new husband on their honeymoon! It's been such a blessing to watch Jenny and Drew's relationship grow throughout the years. Their hearts have turned toward each other in such a beautiful way and I am honored to be part of their lives. 

Jenny asked me to share some of the top things I've learned about being a wife and loving my husband. Jon and I met when we were sophomores in high school. We started dating during our junior year and quickly fell head over heels in love with each other. We dated throughout the remainder of high school, went to college together, got engaged our junior year of college, and got married one week after graduation. :) Jon and I have been together 7.5 years. We've grown up together and we've learned so much through our two years of marriage. Today, I'll be sharing the top 5 things I've learned about loving my husband and pursuing a good marriage.

1. Understand Each Other. ---> Jonathon and I are two completely different people. We think differently, we have different hobbies and personalities. I can't expect Jon to think the same way I do or respond the same way I do. We've taken the time in our relationship to really get to know each other and understand who we are. This allows us to have more mercy, patience, and respect for each other by recognizing that we are unique individuals. 

2. Always Offer Support. ---> Because Jon and I are different people, we have different passions and goals that we pursue. One of our favorite ways to love each other is by giving our full support and encouragement to one another. It's important to be genuine in this and understand that, just because you may not love a hobby or passion of your spouse's, doesn't mean it's dumb. Loving your spouse is also loving their dreams. 

3. Never Stop Dating. ---> One of the best things Jon and I EVER did in our relationship was to establish date nights. We started this in college and have continued throughout our marriage and it has been such a healthy aspect of our relationship. In marriage, you still have to be intentional about spending quality time together. When things get busy, always having that date night consistent every week helps prevent so many of those "I'm-fussy-at-you-because-I-just-miss-you" arguments. AND it continues to show each other that we love each other and that we want to always pursue each other. See my blog post about dating your husband here. :)

4. You're a Team. ---> One quote that has always stuck with me is, "If one of you wins in a fight, then both of you lose." Approaching every valley, hard time, and argument with the mindset of, "We are a team" is crucial. It's not about who is right and who is wrong. It's about loving each other in a way where you see a hill and you want to grab your spouse's hand to overcome it together. A reward for being a team through arguments and difficult situations is that you can grow tremendously through it and experience a new closeness to your spouse by overcoming obstacles together. 

5. Love Languages. ---> Everyone shows and feels love in different ways. For Jon, it's touch. When I'm flirty with him, hold his hand, and show him affection through touch, he feels loved.  For me, it's gifts and quality time. I feel very loved when people give me something thoughtfully and when Jon and I get to spent one-on-one time together. Oftentimes, the way we feel loved is the way we show love, however, it's important to understand what makes your spouse feel loved and reciprocate that love language to them. I would highly recommend reading The Five Love Languages as a resource to better understand how you and your spouse show and feel love. 

Thanks so much, Jenny, for allowing me to share some of the things I've learned with your readers! I wish you the VERY best during your first year of marriage. Looking forward to seeing you when you get back from your honeymoon!! :)

-Savannah