This is the first in what I hope to be a series of my observations of this Adventure Called Marriage. Being a wedding photographer, I see couples spend thousands of dollars creating their dream wedding day. But what happens after the wedding is the the real dream. Hopefully they have spent thousands of hours in conversations on what they think marriage is and should be and what their roles will be in order to make the adventure life long and happy.

I don't claim to know it all. As a matter of fact, my first marriage was a complete failure. Actually, I can't say that...my first husband and I did manage to do one thing right. We had a beautiful little baby girl. She is a light in my life and I have no regrets where she is concerned. But have mercy, if it could be done wrong, I did it. So this is where we will start.

Observation #1:

No matter what, be ready to accept the person you marry as they are right now!

Here is my husband Tim and me on the top of a Mayan ruin at Xunantunich in Belize taken with our little point and shoot camera. {The most important camera to have is the one in your hand}

Now that doesn't mean your spouse won't change. Odds are that we all change. Hopefully for the better, but we can NOT EXPECT change. Marriage is about respecting people for who they are right now and willing to take the journey together to who we will be in the long run.

So when my wonderful husband Tim and I found each other, we spent a lot of time talking about everything. We had some things in our past that we have in common, and we discussed what we didn't like about it and what we could've/should've done differently. We found (out the hard way) things you don't want to do in a marriage and we were ready to accept each other as we are.

Some days will be easier than others. Some days might take you right to the edge of a cliff. Just tie a knot in your rope and remember why you fell in love in the first place.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this. What about your significant other do you love most, RIGHT NOW?