The Top 10 Joys of Married Life, continued...

When we get to number 1, we'll republish the whole list for you. For now, get a look at numbers 7 and 8:

8.  Healthier habits. 

I don't know about others, but for David and I, we tend to make healthier choices when we're together. Not only do we take more time with our meals, they include a lot of fresh vegetables now, which we take time to prepare and to enjoy together. So far, we haven't had any nights where we had cereal for dinner. He tells me how much he appreciates me taking care of myself, and I find myself exercising 5-6 times a week. I encourage him to go workout for some time by himself, and he enjoys it, too. It's also gently reassuring to have someone who cares about your general health and will accompany you to the doctor when needed. David and I each have our own health issues--including lymphedema for me and thyroid for him, and we support each other through them. You don't need to be married to have your own "health advocate," but I think it's a great idea to get one whether by friend or by marriage.

7.  Someone to do life with. 
For years, OK even decades, David and I have done so many things alone. We had friends around at times, and family, too, but they couldn't always be there. So we sometimes took vacations or weekends away alone. We ate alone every day. It was the same thing with exercise, shopping, etc. The daily things of life were done solo, and we had only occasional times when we could share them with another. Married life brings so much togetherness, but the things we appreciate most are just having someone lying next to us in bed and having someone to share cooking and meals with. We were grateful for God's blessings when we were single; now, due to the long wait for marriage, we find ourselves in a grateful state each day, thanking God for a life companion.

Number 6-1 coming soon!