Mawwage.

Twu Wuv is what bwings us...

Marriage is weird. I've never enjoyed anything more than these last two weeks. It astounds me that it's only been two weeks- it seems like years and like no time at all. It feels like I would imagine that the incongruity of time between Narnia and England would feel. I never knew just how important one person could be.

I never thought about all of the different things that marriage vows mean. Here are the vows that we took (copied from an online text of the 1928 Book of Common Prayer which is what we used):

Wilt thou have this man to thy wedded husband, to live together according to God’s law in the holy estate of matrimony? Wilt thou love him, comfort him, honour and keep him, in sickness and in health? and, forsaking all others, keep thee only unto him, so long as ye both shall live?
I, N. take thee, N. to my wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse ; for richer, for poorer ; in sickness and in health; to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God’s holy ordinance; this is my solemn vow.

I didn't realize all that was meant by the "forsaking all others" clause. I've been reading a couple of the relationship books that either Travis has recommended or we were given as wedding presents, and one of them talked about that clause for a bit. Forsaking all others can be taken as a literal vow of monogamy, but it can also be interpreted in a broader sense (which I think is wise also) to include a pledge to put them in the first spot on your list of priorities- even above yourself and your children. This means no selfishness and no neglecting your spouse because you are caring for your kids (obviously, since this is a vow taken by two people to each other, you are somebody's top priority. Also, this does not mean neglect yourself or your children, only that your marriage takes precedence over your parenting and removes the luxury of selfish indulgence).

It feels strange to be writing this so soon after getting married. I mean, who am I to be saying this? But then again, who better to say it than someone who has been intensely focused on it like this? Eh, what does it matter anyway if I have a right to say it? Half of what gets written in blogs is written by people with no right to say such things.

Anyway, marriage is great. And sex is awesome.