Day 58.

Dear New Husband,

After all of the mishaps I have had today, I hope you don't feel like you're babysitting without getting paid. But seriously, I'm not sure how I have made it this long in my life.

Returning our current apartment key in with my old apartment keys? Check.

Answering the front door to the pest control guy looking like a schlub? Check.

Slicing my finger open because I just had to have some cheese before I went to bed? Check.

At least I know that in 10 years, when we have kids, you'll be a great dad. 

So thanks for taking care of your wife who literally does not look before she leaps. I know I tend to hover on the Hermione Granger, Type A side of things, but sometimes things slip through the cracks. . . Or get in the way of my night cheese slicing. Stupid fingers.

I love you,

Your New Wife who becomes more and more similar to Liz Lemon with each passing day.

Day 57.

Dear New Husband,

What a wonderful day spent with friends. Hellooooo summer. Though neither of us get a summer with both of us working and attending higher education for the summer, its nice to pretend we still get some semblance of a summer. But I love our couple friends and how they make us feel less nuts. Then, we get to spend a slow evening together watching a movie and eating mac n' cheese. How cool is that?! Had I known that this is what marriage was like, I would've gotten married at 16. . . Actually, no. No I wouldn't have. But still, watching movies and eating - heaven. . . My Liz Lemon is showing.

I so enjoy spending time with you and with new friends; and that I get to brag on you and how awesome you are. Because you are. Duh. 

I love you,

Your New Wife.

Day 56.

Dear New Husband,

What began as a somewhat emotionally muddled day, filled with wondering what we're doing, ended so sweetly.

Its extremely life affirming to be around other couples and to realize that our struggles are normal; that the things we butt heads over and the things that make me want to eat gallons of ice cream, sob and watch Ice Castles, Gilmore Girls, Doctor Zhivago or The Two Towers are the same things other couples struggle with as well.

Even though we overbooked our evening scheduled, I'm glad we did it. I'm glad we got our wires crossed and over planned our evening; total grace gift to our marriage of realizing that we are never alone and are not meant to rely on ourselves for our marriage. Praise God for fellowshipping with other marrieds.

I love you,
Your New Wife who just realized there are no sweet treats in the house. Attica. Attica!

Day 55.

Dear New Husband,

Our apartment is finally coming together! And I have you to thank for that. Sure, I've done a few things here and there, but you put the curtains up! Plus, you made space in our closet to aid in helping our other closets that are absolutely bursting at the seams.

You know how much I hate clutter and you are doing your absolutely best to make sure that I am not so wound up; not a very delightful or easy task in the slightest. But you have worked so hard and didn't even make a sound when I dirtied up the kitchen, again, after you already cleaned it. But you have to admit, that bread and that dip were worth the pain. At least I hope so. They were good right? Right? Right?

I love you,

Your New Wife who is incredibly paranoid when she tries her hand at new recipes. 

Day 54.

Dear New Husband,

Watching you make fried chicken and figuring out how to make such a delicious, yet somehow inexplicably complicated, meal was so life affirming. In other words, as good at cooking as you are and as terrible at cooking as I am, even you get stumped sometimes; not gloating, just excited that we are still on the same cooking level in some respects - that there are still things that challenge you. By the way, adding chives to the mashed potatoes? Brilliant.

I missed you today and really enjoyed reflecting on your antics from this past week. For example, remember that time when you forgot that we lived together? Or remember that time that we forgot our free tickets to the movie last night? Or remember that time we ate dinner at the mall and you insisted on stopping for every free sample? Oh honey. You are the cutest. And most unintentionally funny person that I know.

I'm getting more and more excited that you get to travel with me in just a handful of weeks. New experiences and new worlds and new places that we get to experience as New Husband and Wife.

I love you,

Your New Wife.

Day 53.

Dear New Husband,

I'm so glad I have a man that doesn't look at me like I'm nuts when I say I want to eat Chick-fil-A and see a movie to celebrate me getting into an online class for the summer and being finished with my spring semester. So generous!

I was raised to celebrate little things, because that's what we get the most of. Big things come and we celebrate those too, but remembering the little things - that's what is important to me. So I'm so glad you see it as important too. 

And that you don't scold me for sneaking in my Diet Dr. Pepper into the movies. They don't have DDP there! Everyone knows that Diet Coke is second class to that sweet nectar. But I digress. I love getting to have these fun little times with you and that we are able to score free stuff do it!

I love you,

Your New Wife.

Day 52.

Dear New Husband,

Currently, I'm supposed to be writing a final paper on feminist theory and the dynamics between it and domestic and intimate partner violence. Instead I decided to write you this letter. . . This letter is to let you know that after almost 6 hours of working on said paper, I almost despair in humanity. 

But I feel extremely extremely blessed that I have a man that values me as a woman and as his partner in life. And a man who doesn't think I'm too Liberal and doesn't think my unending desire to see equal pay for women, longer maternity leave and longer/paid paternity leave and social justice for women everywhere is a pipe dream. You desire justice for those with little or no voice and you love people at their broken places, too; these are just some of the reasons I decided binding my life to yours was a pretty keen idea. This and the fact that you're unpacking boxes from my old apartment while I sit here and dawdle on the Internet.

So thank you for loving me as I am and showing me that I am enough. Thank for you always being proud of me and making my dreams, your dreams.

I love you,

Your New Wife.