Marriage & My Prince Charming

I've been thinking a lot lately about how lucky that I am to have such an amazing man as my husband. He is my best friend in the world and I love him more every day. He works so hard to provide for me and our future family and I want him to know how proud I am of him. He is a symbol of strength to so many and I adore his ability to brighten those around him. All of his friends know that he is a genuinely happy person and others can't help but be happy when they are around him. He is so sweet to me and I feel blessed to have him in my life. He is a great example of what a man should be and I know that our children will have a strong role model and a hero to look up to.

When it comes to marriage, I really believe that our relationship is unique. We honestly rarely argue and when we do, we talk it through immediately and we never bottle things up. We have mastered the art of communication and we believe it is the key to a successful marriage. We've been married for 6 1/2 years and we have enjoyed every moment of it. I think that one of the biggest demons that a marriage can have is personal insecurity. It is so easy when you are insecure with yourself, to attack others as a defense mechanism. I've witnessed other marriages where the husband and wife send little digs toward each other. These "digs" may be masked with an air of humor, but it would be impossible for them to not feel hurt deep down inside. This leads to another reason why I love my James so much. Those of you that know me, know that I am not what society would call beautiful... I'm a bit too "fluffy" for that title! I've been insecure my whole life - until I met James. He makes me feel like I am the most beautiful person on the earth and because of this, I am learning to love who I am regardless of the way I look to others. I may still feel insecure when I'm in social settings and I am hyper-aware that the size of my jeans is twice the size as others, but as soon as I walk through the doors of our home, that insecurity melts away and I know that I am loved for who I am.

As most of you know, we have been facing a huge trial in our marriage. Infertility (or the iMonster as our adoption peeps have named it) is a terrifying and devastating thing for a couple to experience. We've heard stories about couples that have faced infertility and that it has destroyed their relationship. James and I are completely opposite from that. Through our tough times, we've relied so heavily on each other and together we have leaned on Heavenly Father to help us through our struggles. In the April issue of Ensign magazine, there is an article about Infertility that is incredible. Click HERE if you want to check it out. There was one passage in the article that was really inspiring so I want to share it. It said:

"When someone has an ailment or an illness and they are healed as the result of a blessing, their faith is being strengthened. But for those who aren't healed but continue faithful, their faith is being perfected. The first is a faith-promoting experience. The second is faith-perfecting."

I know that our faith is being perfected through this process because instead of bitterness, anger, and resentment, we've grown more in love and understanding and we have built such a strong foundation. In last weekend's General Conference, Elder Richard G. Scott said:

"It is so rewarding to be married. Marriage is wonderful. In time you begin to think alike and have the same ideas and impressions. You have times when you are extremely happy, times of testing, and times of trial, but the Lord guides you through all of those growth experiences together."

I KNOW our marriage can withstand any trials thrown at us! I love you James and I can't wait to spend eternity with you!