The Top 10 Best Things About Being Married

A few days ago as we were driving the Sister Missionaries to an appointment, one of them (out of the blue) asked, “What is the best thing about being married?”

Now that is a question to ponder! Which I have done for the past few days, and now am ready to share the fruits of that ponderizing…The Top 10 Best Things About Being Married are (in random order as I think of them):

1. Having someone who knows you so well and loves you unconditionally anyway.
2. Having a built-in Buddy System–I don’t know what would have happened to me if my Buddy wasn’t with me on Mt. St. Helens that day…)
3. Having someone to share adventures with (“Oh, look! A…sunset/mountain/deer/castle/etc.”)
4. Having someone who is always looking out for your interests. (The other day in the BX we were wandering around separately when Rich found me to “show me something.” He’d found a pair of Clark’s shoes just like the ones I have for the mission and are quickly wearing out. He didn’t know I’d put a “watch” on Ebay for them, as I couldn’t find a pair anywhere to buy before coming here. Knowing how hard it is for me to find shoes that fit comfortably, he insisted we buy them, as “you never know how long they’ll be available or when they’ll be back.”)
5. Having someone to eat up the goodies we’re given and politely accept, but I can’t/won’t eat.
6. Having someone to “divide and conquer.” Whether that is in volunteering (I answer the phones at the chapel, he rakes the leaves; I read the stories at the library, he shelves the books) or housework (he is so much better at vacuuming than I am, and is the self-designated Laundry Guy) or a myriad of other things, two make work not only easier, but more enjoyable. This has been especially evident in negotiating the driving over here. He tackles the mechanics of left-side driving and keeps us alive, while I navigate and keep us on track.
7. Having someone who helps you improve and become a better you. This applies to everything from editing my writing for blogs, to gently pointing out shortcomings and encouraging efforts to overcome.
8. Having someone to take care of you when you’re sick. (“let’s try this essential oil on your cough/back/injury, etc”)
9. Having someone who shares your goals and dreams, both temporally and eternally, and helps you along the path to reaching them.
10. Having someone who shares your values and supports your Big Ideas (“Let’s sell our house and buy a BIGGER house that will accommodate family reunions better!”)