Well, after 6 yrs(8/1/98) of marriage I would definetly say it has had its ups and downs. I am 31 and my wife is 30. We met when I was 20 and she was 19 (9/15/93 first date, yes I remember). We were both very inexperienced in the love department but we knew we loved each other. :p
We both were in college during these years in which I flunked out and she made deans list.
We partied very hard and often fought hard too. I guess we just got so comfortable and used to each other we felt we had no other choice but to get married. I mean that was what everyone was expecting and heck it sounded like it was gonna be a good time
So we did!
After a fun honeymoon and 2 months in a rental we did all the exciting things newlyweds do. Bought out first house..... It was a 75 yr old rock house with a maple tree in the front yard and a red front door. So charming
We also bought a new Volvo, got a Springer Spaniel(Molly), Credit cards, You know Best Buy, Home Depot, Visa, Amex, Etc. The parties slow down and we start to grow up a little. Then the REAL fun begins! I wanna have a baby!
In 11/26/01 we have Lily Claire and she is wonderful. Take all that I have including MOM and just leave her with me. Naked, broke, I dont care. She is my everything and I love her more than a heart knows how. Children are great, THEY are not however the cure for bills, slowing sex life, your overall relationship with each other.
On 12/10/02 also bought ANOTHER new Volvo.. This time the wagon...
In 2/02 I made a mistake of gargantuan proportions.... Another woman... I had never gotten much attention in the past because I was always a skinny little kid with glasses that favored Waldo/Buddy Holly. As I got in my late twenties I had grown up some and changed my look a little, kinda grew into my own and suddenly other women start flirting with me. I was being noticed and since I never "got around" that much I was curious. I went out with the guys and drank more.. I did not come home until late. I had a wife and child at home that I kinda forgot about because I was having "fun" again.
To shorten this story some, I ended up getting busted. I got really stupid AND well really became an a**hole and just quit coming home. The wife threw me out on my a**. My job performance had suffered so from all of this "fun" that I was demoted out of management and back into sales. It did not stop... I eventually quit what was the highest paying job I ever had and even started dabbling in a few presription pain killers. The downhill shame spiral...
I knew I had to hit rock bottom and I guess that happened when the banks started calling wanting their money and I could not buy any more booze. The girl I was messin with did the best thing for me... GO HOME! She started getting a complex about the married man (thank god) issue and sent me home...
My wife thankfully took me back and my little girl smiled at me when I returned. My wife had cried her heart out and begged me the whole time I was gone. A lot of women would have said NO and washed their hands of it all. I know my wife really loves me and believes in the the commitment we made in 98'. I know now that I love her too. She has taken so much sh** from me and worked so hard with me to get back on OUR feet. It takes a lot of work to make a marriage. There are so many temptations and reasons to throw in the towel. I feel if you have a willing partner there is NO reason to divorce. I guess I feel it against the values and morals I want for my kids to have.
I opened my own Cingular store in Ashevillle, NC last year and we just moved to Augusta, Ga to open another one. We are making excellent progress and hope that my wife can quit work next year to stay at home with LC. Hey we may even have enough love left in us to make another one. Things are good. Real good. Good Luck!