Number 5

This has been a lot of fun. I've really enjoyed answering your questions, whether serious, silly, or just plain fun. This is the second to last round...

Mel asks:
"How is the "married Annie" different from the "single Annie?" And why? :)"

This has actually been a little hard for me to answer, because I'm not always sure I've changed for the better since I got married. I guess the biggest difference is that I have a husband (Thank you, Captain Obvious), but I really have changed quite a bit in the last 8 months.

Now, don't get me wrong, the changes are by no means all bad. And some of them could even be thought of as good or bad, depending on your point of view. I've definitely learned to be more patient. I got a little used to getting whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted it. Now that I've got someone else's feelings to consider I'm learning how to wait for things I want. I'm much less Veruca Salt ("I want it now, Daddy!") than I used to be.

One of the things that could be good, or bad, depending on your point of view, is that marriage has turned me into a bit of a neat-freak. I like our house to look nice, and it clutter bugs me. Anyone who saw my bedroom as a child or teenager knows that this has definitely not always been the case. Sometimes I think my neatness has taken control of me, though, when I start to get a little peeved that he doesn't see the messes that I do. Granted, we grew up with very different standards and expectations of cleanliness, and he's been very patient with me and my nit-picking. The more we settle into marriage, the less annoyed I get, but then again maybe we've just found a middle ground cleanliness standard.

Sometimes I also feel like maybe I've lost my sense of humor a little. I'm definitely much more serious now than I was in my college and post-college dating days. I guess it could just be maturity, but I also seem to feel this compulsive need to keep our home in order. I'm much more organized than I ever have been before, I'm much more budget-conscious (of course, this could be due to six weeks of being single income), but I also seem to care more what others think of me. I seem to want to show the world that I was, and am, ready for marriage; that I can manage a household; that I can keep my husband happy, my home clean, and my life managed.

One other thing that has definitely changed about me is my feeling toward babies. It used to be that newborn babies terrified me. Now, I'm the first person to volunteer to hold a baby in church, watch a baby for a few hours during the day, etc. I'm much more conscious of children around me, and picking up tips for how to raise, and how not to raise, kids. Don't worry, we're still going to wait a little while before we start our family, but I think about it often.

What it comes down to, though, is that I'm much happier than I ever thought possible. I love my husband so much and I am so thrilled to be building a life with him. He truly is my other (and often better) half. He keeps me balanced, calms me down before I can freak out about things, and makes me smile everyday.

Essentially, Married Annie is the same girl as Single Annie... just a little more grown up.