Marriage as parents

we’ve moved between cities/states/countries 6 times; 

we have a 6.5 month baby; 

we’ve been apart quite a bit, the longest separation being 6.5 months; 

and we’ve been married 26 months.

Despite all of our time together pre-baby (5.5 years), it’s sometimes hard to remember those days and that we should still prioritize our marriage–and dating. But we’re trying. Having a baby is a big change. While we knew it would affect our marriage, I don’t think we were prepared for how much it actually would. Because how can you really prepare for any big life changes, anyway? You can’t. 

You can be proactive and reactive, though. That’s just what we’ve tried our best to do. Before Sebastian was born, we went on dates, we traveled, we had cozy move nights-in, and we appreciated our alone time. After his birth, the first few weeks were a whirlwind of different parenting techniques, concerns, and emotions. It has not been until very recently that we have felt more confident in our marriage than before.

These days, we communicate with, help and trust one another more. We are the most open and honest we’ve ever been, and we are the strongest team mates we’ve ever been. That’s because we’ve chosen to nurture our marriage despite the new challenges that parenthood has presented us. (FYI the blessings way outnumber the challenges!) We’ve by no means mastered it but we’ve been through enough challenges for me to be confident that our marriage will continue thriving.