Marriage makes you learn things.

They say that once you're married your personal growth improves exponentially.  I'd have to say that they are right.

For example.

Since we've been married, Derek has helped me stop sticking apple stickers everywhere.  Sometimes they'd be on the sink.  Sometimes on the counter.  Sometimes on the bags bread comes in.  I've now learned to take the time to walk to the trash and throw it away.

Second.  I still do this, but I try to avoid it when it's at someone else's house.  Eating a third of a cookie and leaving the rest on the plate.

It really is the best way to eat a cookie, though.  In fact I taught all of my roommates to do it too.

Next.  Derek has helped me develop critical thinking skills when making big decisions.  To illustrate, during the summer we still had some Target gift cards left from our wedding (thanks everybody!!--but really. so grateful.)  so whenever we needed something we'd just go get it from Target!  Sometimes we'd even just walk around the store for fun.

One day, I found a box of $2 strawberry shortcake ice cream bars in the freezer section and Derek was really nice and said we could get them! (we don't often get sweets because he doesn't love them.)  I was super excited and giddy.  Then we found the purse section and a purse that was exactly what I had been looking for for a long time.

He said we could get the purse too!

Um, BEST DAY EVER.

Just kidding.  He said I had to choose one of them.  And that maybe the next time we could come back and get the other.

Never mind the fact that the purse was about 10 times the price of the ice cream bars and would last a lot longer, I was distraught.  This was totally unfair.  Embarrassing part of the story? I wanted to cry.  I knew I needed a purse, but I really really wanted the ice cream.

Eventually I reluctantly and slowly walked back to the freezer section and put the ice cream bars back.

This is when I put the ice cream back.  I look stupid.  But I was mad.

Having supposedly "passed the test" Derek told me I could now get both.

I didn't.  I was too mad.  We left.  With a purse.  But without ice cream bars.

But don't worry.  Next time we went to Target we got the ice cream bars.  And they were SO good.  Even Derek loved them.

Finally, Derek has taught me the proper way to load groceries in the car.

I used to just like. . .load them in.  Not with a rhyme or reason, but just put them in the car quickly so we could hurry home.  But I learned:  You should put the heavy things like cans or milk in FIRST, then the bread and other mushy things.  So they don't get smooshed.

Basically I've become a very classy person ever since marrying Derek.