12 lessons we learned in our first year of marriage
This piece was co-authored by Yvonne and Jonathan McFadden
We love celebrating milestones. A year of marriage following our pandemic wedding certainly feels like one.
We’re not perfect. We’re learning more about each other, and ourselves, every day. But, we value transparency and the power of a good story. A real story.
Marriage is beautiful, but it’s no fairytale. It’s sacrifice and compromise. It’s two breast cancer scares followed by an invasive surgical procedure. It’s quarantine and COVID. It’s stacks of medical bills and the loss of loved ones. It’s the small things, big things and the meh things. It’s hard conversations, fun adventures, tense interactions, excitement and disappointment. It’s stealing kisses, giving hugs and delivering surprises.
It’s work. Here’s what we’ve learned one year in.
Von’s lessons
1. Communication is key: learning and embracing each other’s (healthy) communication style opens the door. Jonathan and I communicate differently. His style is assertive, while mine is passive. Both styles are necessary for us. In moments when I want to run away from a tough conversation for fear of confrontation, Jonathan reminds me that the sooner we can talk it through calmly and respectfully, the sooner we can move…
