My husband and I had our anniversary last month, and we were talking about how things have been over the last year in our marriage, how things were in the beginning, and how we want things to be in this coming year of marriage.
Survival Mode
In our life together so far, we’ve bought a car, I’ve become a stay-at-home-mom, we had a baby (who didn’t sleep for the first year and a half), we bought a house, he changed jobs. Oh, and a global pandemic happened. All of those things together meant we were just in an extended season of S U R V I V A L. Been there? Yeah, we’re over it. We’re tired of surviving — it’s exhausting and all-consuming.
This year is the year we settle into our life and just enjoy what we have. The past several years, we’ve been longing for a baby, longing for a home of our own, longing for sleep, longing for normalcy. And acquiring all those things has made for a hectic, financially tight, and intense few years. But now we finally feel like we can keep our heads above water. Things are slowing down just enough. We are pulling ourselves out of this season of survival. We no longer want to feel like we just can’t get ahead.
Settling In
So we’re claiming it. We are settling into normal, routine life. We are holding off on big purchases that leave our bank account dry. We’re enjoying each other and going on dates. We are saying “no” to opportunities that don’t align with our current values, and saying “yes” to the opportunities that do. We’re investing into friendships and community. We are growing our faith together. We’re getting back to enjoying life.
In a similar season? You can claim it, too. Settle in, friend. Still in the middle of survival mode? Your time is coming. And it’s completely okay to ask for help, if that’s what it takes to pull your head above water.
