Things I have learned about marriage

Since, yesterday was our 5th wedding anniversary, I have been thinking abour marriage. And I thought I would share, some stuff I have learned. Share your thoughts and feelings and stuff you have learned as well.:

1. Pick your battles. Only be willing to go to battle over the things that are really important to you. If he leaves a wet towel on the floor or he leaves his socks on the floor by the couch, is it worth the trouble to get all angry and get really angry? I am only willing to stand up and fight if I feel it is a battle I am willing really stand up for. Anything else, isn't worth the trouble and the pain it causes.
2. Spend time together, even if you are doing different things, it is important to connect on a personal level. It is important to remember why you care about this person. This person is your life mate, remember to share your life with him.
3. Spend time apart. No one person can be everything to you. And if you spend every moment with that one person, you will drive each other crazy. If you spend time apart, then you go out and get new stories to tell each other, you get new experiences to share with each other. When Prince Charming and I get together at the end of the day, we are both bubbling up with things to share with each other, we can't wait to share the details of our day.
4. It is okay to disagree sometimes. Prince Charming and I disagree on some pretty major topics and sometimes we will discuss them just to have a heartfelt discussion. But it is important to remember that at the end of the day, each of us is entitled to feel the way we do. We discuss this knowing we will not change each others mind and that we can't make the other person feel that we think they are dumb or stupid for believing what they do. They have different beliefs and that is okay.
5. The little things are important. When you live with someone, it is easy to let the little things go and to assume they know what you mean. But it is important to actually say thank you when he does something nice. It is important to stop what you are doing and listen when he has something he is excited to tell you. The little things matter, they make a difference.
6. It is important to actually say the words. Actually say things out loud like, "Thank You", "I love you", and "I am sorry."
7. Don't let things build up. Talk about things right away. I had this habit in the past of letting things go. I would not say anything but it would still be on my mind. It would fester and bother me until in my head I had blown it all out of proportion and in my mind we were heading down the path of divorce or some other crazy thing. I have learned to just say what is on my mind. Lots of times, I will say what I think, we will discuss it for two seconds. Then we both feel better.