Love At First Sight???

When Nate and I first met, it was definitely not love at first site.  In fact, we had a mutual disinterest in each other.  Not that we disliked each other.  It's just that for both of us, the other one didn't look at all like what we imagined our future spouse might look like.  I imagined someone "big boned" with a squishy body, good for squeezing and hugging. Quite the opposite of what Nate's body type is like.  Nate imagined someone more similar to his build, which is very lean.  That is not at all how one would describe me.  But that didn't discourage us from becoming friends because we had no limitations in our heads about what our friends should look like.  So we did become friends and it wasn't long before we became best friends. And that lead to lead to love and marriage.  We both had a transition time, though, where we had to let go of the pictures in our heads of our future spouses.  Once we did that, we were free to see the amazing number of ways that we were a perfect match!  Nate is so much more than I ever hoped or prayed for myself.  And I had pretty high standards!  He gives me more than I expected any husband to ever give.  He makes me happier than I ever expected to be.  And the amazing thing is that he feels the same way.  We are both so thankful that God brought us both to a place where we could look past the barrier that could have kept us from finding our perfect match.  We were able to get out of our own way long enough to receive our perfect gift from God.  And by the way, even though Nate doesn't have a big, squishy body, he still gives great hugs!

Trick For Folding Sheets

I found this video on a blog that I just started following at womenlivingwell-courtney.blogspot.com.  I liked the tip and I thought I would pass it along!

The Way to a Man's Heart

I do not have kitchen skills.  I didn't grow up learning to cook and I haven't ever really taken the time to practice.  But Nate told me when we were dating that he feels super happy whenever I bless him with food related acts of service such as cooking or serving him some food that someone else has cooked.  So I knew that when I got married, I could score big points by being in charge of all of our meals.  I feel out of my comfort zone.  I've never really planned ahead for meals before and in the past I always got by with cereal, frozen burritos, and McDonalds.  But this just won't do if I intend to bless Nate with food! 

So step one was to start making Nate's lunch for him.  This might seem old fashioned to some.  But whenever I do it, I get a huge smile and a lunch time text from Nate showing his appreciation.  It only takes me 5 minutes and it makes Nate's day.  So why wouldn't I do it? 

Step two was to think ahead before I go to the grocery store and to plan out dinners for the week.  Right now my dinners are simple.  Things like grilled cheese sandwiches or omelets.  But Nate says it doesn't matter if the dinners are fancy.  He's just thrilled to have someone who loves him enough to make him dinner!

Step three was to have a plan for dinner and hopefully, have it started when Nate gets home from work so he doesn't have to think about dinner at all.

Step four was to dish up Nate's plate and to deliver it with a smile and a kiss.

Maybe this all seems rudimentary to some of you but this really is something that I've had to put effort in to because it's not something that comes naturally to me.  But so far it has really paid off!  Nate is so grateful and really appreciates my efforts! 

I think it might be common for new husbands to feel appreciative of their wives in the beginning and then they forget what it's like not having a wife to take care them and they lose their feelings of appreciation or they stop showing their appreciation. Have some of you experienced that?  I also wonder if it's common for wives to tire of the effort and they forget to deliver with a smile!  I'd love to hear some of your thoughts and experiences!

Laundry Makes Me Laugh

During our first few weeks of marriage, I noticed myself enjoying things that would normally be considered mundane or tedious.  For example, the other day I was doing laundry; a task I don't normally find pleasure in.  I had pulled everything out of the dryer except for one wad of clothing.  It was a pair of my undies tangled with a pair of Nate's undies.  It made me chuckle and I was happy that our intimates could co-exist and it was good and it was right.  I am happy to have someone whom I can share all of the intimate parts of my life with.  I hope I never lose appreciation for that, even when I tire of washing undies.

I Do, I Did, I Will

When Nate and I were engaged we were so excited about our up and coming wedding that we had this running joke where any time one of us would start off any question with "Do you...," or "Will you...," the other would quickly interrupt with an abrupt "I do!!!"  As if there was no other question in the world that mattered but the one that would be asked while in the midst of our wedding ceremony, proclaiming our vows to each other.  Now that the wedding has happened, we still keep the joke going except for now instead of just interrupting with "I do!!!," we interrupt with "I do!!!  I did!!!  I will!!!"  It's a silly thing we do and we do it for a laugh and a smile from each other, but we also truly mean it.  When we said our vows at our wedding, they weren't vows that we meant just for that day.  We intend to remember those vows and to be fully committed to them for the rest of our lives together.  Here are the vows we will keep:

Nate:
I promise to lead you in the ways of the Lord.
I promise to love you and you alone with all of my heart
I promise to live with you in riches and in rags, in sickness and in health, until death separates us.

Rayleigh:
I promise to submit to you in the ways of the Lord.
I promise to share my love with you whole-heartedly and exclusively.
I promise to stay with you in riches and in rags, in sickness and in health, until death separates us.

Some thoughts that Nate and I want to be constantly reminded of are that if Nate is following the Lord and doing his best to lead me down the right path, it will be a lot easier for me to submit to his leadership.  I'll want to because I'll enjoy the protection and provision that comes along with that.  How comforting to snuggle under the protection of his wings!  Also, if Nate loves me and lets me feel his love, giving me full acceptance and warmth, I can trust my whole heart with him and not hold any of myself back.  My heart can stay soft and giving and loving.  These are the things we pray for.

I'm a new wife!

Hi! My name is Rayleigh Leavitt! Welcome to my blog! The intention of this blog is to share with you my experiences as I learn to become the happiest wife imaginable! I just got married less than a month ago so I don't have any trouble feeling happy right now! In fact, I've never been this happy in my entire life! But as the newness wares off I know it will take more effort to keep feeling this happy and I expect that I may have a lot of learning ahead of me! I believe the secret to becoming the happiest wife is to have the happiest husband and, of course, to have God as the center of my marriage. So as I learn how to make my husband happy and, by consequence, make myself happy, I will take notes and pass them along! Please share your thoughts with me as well! I do trust that woman of all ages can learn from each other no matter how long we have been in this wonderful game we call marriage!