Update: J.P. and I were married March 27, 2009. Since that day over eight months ago, we’ve been settling into our new routine.

Being newlyweds has meant making sacrifices. I quit my job at Channel 12 so we could actually live in the same city for once. J.P. also quit his real estate job in Phoenix to begin a consulting career with IBM. His work enables him to contribute to various projects with companies all over the world. During a typical week, he’s out of town four days, home for three. Since his job requires so much travel, we were given our choice of several cities with major airports to move to. We picked Los Angeles mainly for me. I have always wanted to pursue a career in entertainment journalism. We figured this was the perfect opportunity to give it a shot. In the past year, we both have quit our jobs, started new careers, got married, and moved twice. I’d say we’ve been busy!

Newlyweds in L.A.

Nowadays, things have quieted down a bit. The biggest challenge has been adjusting to life as newlyweds- and let me tell you, whoever said the first year of marriage is the hardest, wasn’t kidding! We heeded warnings, but disregarded them quickly, thinking it was just another pre-wedding quip. We had been dating almost 7 years before tying the knot, after all, and if any couple knew everything there was to know each other, it was J.P. and I. Being newlyweds would be easy…we thought we could take on the world. Turns out, there’s always something new to learn about my darling husband. In fact, the ups and downs of the past eight months have often made me motion sick. However, the most surprising part of it all, is how much I have loved every moment of being married thus far, particularly the bonds we’re building as we’re (sometimes struggling to) get to know each other on a different level. I have always loved that J.P. and I did not live together before we were married, and these past months have solidified that for me. Slowly, but surely, we’re figuring each other out. He’s discovering how to loosen up and enjoy life a little more. He’s also learning when and how to tune me out when I talk too much. I am learning how to disguise purchases as “things we absolutely need” (I joke), and I’m learning to make more room for another person in my home, space, and life. In turn, we are arguing less and loving more. It’s a work-in-progress, but we’ve already come such a long way.