It’s an understatement to say that I’m excited about getting married. In fact, I would say that I’m insanely eager to jump into that new chapter of my life. But while poring over bride’s magazines, number-crunching with my Excel spreadsheet and exploring the delights of vintage fabric – I am well aware that I’m on the verge of a lifetime of learning and not just a day of glorious glitz and glamour.
A married friend rolled her eyes the other day and said, “Just wait until the honeymoon wears off and he leaves his clothes lying all over the place. The awe will wear off, my dear. And you’ll have to learn to do things the way he wants them done.”
Sadly, I’ve heard that from quite a few people. Of course, the encouragement and warm wishes have outweighed anything negative- but it’s still been something I haven’t expected from certain people. I’m not naïve enough to think that marriage will be easy, always fun times, and that he will be perfect (I already know better, because he KEEPS SLIPCOVERS ON HIS BOOKS!).
But I’ve been around godly, true love enough to know that marriage is nothing to fear. It’s just something amazing that will probably whip the hat off my head before I know it. So to speak.
And, as I ponder this new life that is just months around the corner, I remember the Rules for Married Life that Maud Hart Lovelace wrote in Betsy’s Wedding (one of my favorite childhood books).
1. Handle his money well.
2. Keep yourself looking nice when he’s around. Don’t plaster on sticky creams at night, or wear your hair in curlers.
3. Wear pretty house dresses, like Mamma does, and see that they’re always clean.
4. Learn to cook.
5. Always, always, be gentle and loving. No matter if you’re tired or feeling cross.
Thankfully, my hair is curly.