What makes it work

My wife and I have (as of the 25th) been married 6 years. But have known each other 7.

Everyone has their marriage advice, that they usually give you when they set you up with the ugly as sin sister of your current crush.

You know what makes it work?

Trust

I've had friends who wanted to marry "that girl" except for her guy friend. That guy who knows everything about her and has been her best friend for longer that you could, barring the immediate heat death of the universe.

If you fail to trust her, your relationship is worth crap. I mean it. That guy has been around for her crap much longer than you have, and you know what? He doesn't think much of it. Not that he thinks that she's less for that, it was just the moment when he knew, "Ugh, not going to happen."

You know when you know you're with the person you are going to be with? When you are at your worst. The Beautiful One has been with me, when I've been drunk like some people cannot believe. I've done some embarrasing crap, and she's still there, pulling the puke out of my hair (sometimes even more unsavory stuff)

She does it, because she loves me. I do a library of other things to make her life better. I get drunk/mad and make her life worse. Sometimes I lose sight of how much she does.

Losing sight will kill your love.

My wife is not what I'd have imagined as a dreamer kid.
I'm not what she would have dreamed of as a teenager.

We are AWESOME together. We are more than the sum of our parts. When we are hurt, the other can lift us. As we look around, we see the world as it could be, but only on the shoulders of each other.

Love is not taking, not talking, not measuring up, it's not your expectations, it's much better than that.

Happy Anniversary,
my love.