31 days of newlywed life: day one.

I decided to join up with a cool 31 days of blogging project via Nesting Place. Bloggers choose a topic and blog about it each day for the month of October. 31 days! There are literally thousands of topics going on out in the blogging world, so it took me some time to figure out what I really wanted to write about.

You know, something that won't get boring for me to write about. Something that won't make me have to do 31 different DIY projects (people doing this, more power to ya!). But also something that is interesting for you, the reader. So, I chose to blog about newlywed life. Because it is my life right now. And I won't be for long... because how long can you really be considered a newlywed? 6 months? A year? I don't know... so I'm jumping on this now.

This is me and my husband on the real day one of our married life adventure. Smiling and happy and pretty (and handsome). We're still that way, just not as fancy. ;)

I think I'll start off this first post with a little list. Because I love lists. And I almost did a 31 days of lists post. Maybe I'll save that for next time. Anyway, a list.

Five Things That Changed When I Got Married

1. I started a real budget. And actually, we started it part-way into our engagement, because paying for a wedding starts to merge your incomes. Anyway, serious, down-to-the-penny budgeting is the best thing ever. It doesn't mean that I don't spend money on fun things, but with student loans for both of us and the dream of someday owning a home on a teacher's salary, we get giddy about budgeting. And saving. And paying off debt. 

2. I get way more sleep. Before we were married, Aaron and I did not live together. So each night after work I'd go to his house, or he'd come to mine and we would hang out until 10:30pm. That was our cut-off time. Then we'd say goodbye and go home to shower, make the next day's lunch and unwind before going to sleep. NOW we have so much more time together! We can get things together and get ready for bed together, and sleep much better and much more! 

3. I waste much less food. I am not a huge fan of leftovers. Some things I love, but not much. Aaron is the opposite, so we waste very, very little food. I like this.

4. I have more laundry. Yes, that is obvious. But when it was just me, I hated doing such small loads of laundry when I needed clothes. That is absolutely never the problem anymore.

5. I am more prayerful and observant of God's hand in our lives and marriage. I love having what God says to me be confirmed through Him speaking to Aaron as well. I am able to put to practice patience and asking forgiveness and grace on a daily basis. Not because of anything either of us does purposefully, but just because living in such close quarters with someone you love is hard. And fun. And stretching. In the best possible ways.