I feel like I am beginning to get the hang of this blogging thing. Still so very many questions about this exciting, new process but, I think I have decided what the theme of this blog will be.

 

The Declassified Marriage Enhancement Guide

 

I do not consider myself a veteran to marriage by any means, (it is has only been 4 months) but I

have learned a few things about married life, that I do not intend to forget.

 

1. Assume Nothing

Many, if not all of our post-wedding squabbles are a product of misunderstandings. Aka: He didn't eat all of his chicken so I must be a bad cook. When in actuality, he ate a little dinner at work and wasn't starving when he came home. Problem solved.  

 

2. Make Time to Listen

Shaun is in school full time, works, and is certifying for his CNA, and I end up feeling like days have gone by and we have hardly seen each other at all. Make time to talk, but more importantly concentrate on Listening. If you genuinely listen to how he is doing, chances are you will get the same in return. Through the craziness of everyday life, you'll know there is someone at home who will listen, and he'll know he can come to you for anything.

 

3. Notice the Little Things

Now, this can go good or bad, So only take it in the way it is intended. Everyone loves feeling appreciated. Last night Shaun stopped on his way home from work and bought my favorite Ice Cream. This isn't a large, expensive, or grandeur gesture. But it meant the world to me. Thank your spouse for the little extras everyday. It will help you realize how good you have it, and also let your loved one know how much you appreciate their efforts.

4. Expect Less, Do More
"Join". Four little letters. Essentially when you get married, this is exactly what you do. You don't only join two people though, you join families, different viewpoints and opinions, traditions, towel folding strategies, likes/dislikes, a refrigerator etc. You get the point. Don't expect your spouse to automatically do things your way. Your way of folding the towels may be different than his. Not good or bad or better, just different. Don't have unrealistic expectations of your spouse. Keep an open mind and give more than just a little.

5. Date Your Husband
In my opinion this is the anaconda of marriage tips- the most beneficial and significant thing you can do. When Shaun and I were dating, we were always going on adventures and doing something spontaneous! It was during those sweet, uninterrupted moments where we fell in love. Dating is what made you decide you wanted to get married in the first place, so why wouldn't you continue that after the fact?
This is what my blog is about. An unofficial How-To date your Husband. I will post stories, pictures, and helpful hints about how I continue to date my husband after the wedding. Not to mention, the wonderful memories and laughter that come because of it.   

So get ready. This is my Declassified Marriage Enhancement Guide.
Or in short...
How To Date Your Husband

Here is a sneak peak of what we did tonight!

More Coming Soon :)

 

Is it obvious I am in love with my husband? Probably just a little bit. So it will not be surprising that this post will be about him. 

Drumroll please......... and now I would like to introduce to you my husband Shaun. Goodness, 

what a stud!

So here are the top ten things I adore, admire, favor, and am smitten by when it comes to Shaun Bradley Thompson, my amazazazing husband. 

1.    

He is an awesome dancer. 

Anyone who knows him well knows he has moves like Channing Tatum. 

Needless to say he is VERY coordinated, and puts any other guy to shame when he starts dancing. 

It is what first attracted me to him, (the first time we met music was on and he just did his thing) and I remember thinking... "who is this guy?!" He was so confident, and I loved it!

2.   

He has the strongest faith of anyone I have ever met.

He didn't grow up in the church like I did, but his testimony and faith are so incredibly strong it amazes me. He never doubts what he feels, he just knows the gospel is true. No matter what the cost, he will stand up for his beliefs and he knows it for himself. His relationship with our Father in Heaven never ceases to astonish me, and I am influenced by his strength and priesthood everyday. 

3.   

He is comfortable enough with himself to be goofy. :) 

There is something to be said about a person who who is confident enough in who they are to be themselves. Shaun knows who he is, what he wants, and how to get there. In every action and choice he makes, who he is shines through. I don't know how to better explain it, he just shines. 

4.  

He loves his Mama. 

The first time I heard him talk about his Mom was on our first date. After hearing the way he talked about her, I knew that he would be a good husband. Any man who treats their mother the way he treats his, understands the divine nature and value of a woman & a mother. 

 I am eternally thankful for the way his Mom raised him. She raised him to be the man of my dreams and I wouldn't dream of our life without her in it. She is truly an incredible woman. 

5.  

He is phenomenal when it comes to children. 

Kids love him. It would be an understatement to say he knows how to channel his inner-child because at heart, he is just a big sweet kid trapped in an adult body. We always have so many adventures together and I eagerly daydream about how awesome of a Father he will be.

6.  

He has the biggest heart. 

This is his Papa. He died a few years ago in 2010, but before he did, Shaun helped his family take care of him. As a teenage boy you would think he'd be more absorbed in his friends, his car, and friday night. But that is a classic Shaun example. He loves people, especially those close to him and he'd do anything to help them. He is now working as a CNA and his compassion continues to touch the lives of others. 

7.  

He is a fighter, a survivor, and never quits. 

Shaun was 16 years old when he was struck by an oncoming car that nearly ended his life. He was life flighted to the nearby hospital where he died for a few long moments before they brought him back to life. He was critically injured and his left leg was almost amputated. His entire leg was shattered. It took a year before he was able to walk normally again. Many people experience life altering experiences they choose to not learn from. Shaun never stopped trying, he taught himself to walk again and he relates back to that point in his life time and time again as a reminder that he can do the impossible. 

8.  

Shaun loves his Daddy. 

Shaun's father passed when he was five years old of cancer. Alike Shaun's car accident experience, he has chosen to not let the experience make him bitter. Everyday he honors his father by wearing an emblem around his neck that reminds him his father is watching out for him. His father has been one of the most influential people in his life although he is not physically with him. When someone we love passes, I do not feel that we ever truly "let go." And why should we? If we allow our lives to be touched and influenced in a way that enhances who we are, then the persons memory lives on in a way that no amount of "letting go" could do justice. 

9.   

He loves me for exactly the person I am. 

He loves me for everything I am, and everything that comes with me. Shaun has this way of looking into my eyes and knowing who I am inside and out. It is the scariest, Best feeling in the world when you discover someone who truly makes you whole. I am me when I am with him because he is the piece in my heart that has been missing. And I love him for loving me in that way. (I know I can be cheesy, but it is true!!) 

And the tenth reason I love my husband, [the largest reason in my mind]

10.  

He is changing the world, and doesn't even know it. 

Anyone he comes in contact with, he leaves an impact of positivity, of goodness. 

Because that is who he is. 

To his parents, his sisters, his friends, he is a comedian, a shoulder to cry on, a rock of stability, and a breath of fresh air. 

To certain little men, he is the coolest dude on the block, and a hero for making them feel special.

From a girl with mental handicaps who didn't get asked to the prom, to his residents at work whom he treats as his own blood. Everywhere he goes he changes the lives around him. He listens, takes their hand, and makes them feel as if they are cared for beyond measure. 

He aspires to have a career where he can help others, make a difference. But what he doesn't realize is that it doesn't matter what career he has. He will influence the world around him simply because of who he is. A husband, a son, a brother, he is a giant among men, a worker, a student, a lover, and a fighter. To himself he is just simply Shaun, but to the world he is anything but ordinary. 

"To the world you may be one person, but to one person, you may be the world."

And to me, he is my entire world. Thanks for reading my blog! Leave a comment if you'd like :)

I love you Shaun!

I'll start from the beginning, 

September 13th 2011 was the day 

I met my best friend, Shaun. 

The next day he took me on our first date 

to a rodeo in St. George where we were both attending Dixie State. 

Although after we met, school definitely wasn't the funnest part of the day. :) 

          

{We always found something crazy and spontaneous to do. Climbing rooftops, playing catch, a trip to Cali, concerts, star gazing, and taking each other around to our favorite spots in town, and as the adventures continued, so did our fondness for each other.}

Needless to say, I was head over heels and happier than I had ever been. 

It didn't take long for people to start associating our names together. 

Shemma hit, and it has stuck ever since. 

December 30th of the same year, four months after we met, Shaun took me to a spot up North that overlooked the Salt Lake Valley. As we looked out at the bright lights encompassing the Salt Lake Temple, he told me to close my eyes and make a wish. When I opened my eyes, he was on one knee.

I remember thinking, this is what it feels like. I was filled with so much joy. It was the purest, most sweet feeling in the world. I don't know how else to explain it, with that special ring on my finger, I just felt like me. I was whole. Shaun was who I had been waiting for, and I couldn't even express how peaceful I felt. It was as if, after all the struggles and heartbreak in my life, everything was made right in that moment. I will never forget it. 

And that is how I became Emma Jean Thompson. 

The woman I was always meant to be.