**This is Hannah’s first post with us here At the Well. Please welcome her!**
Hi! My name is Hannah Howe. Since I am a new writer here At The Well I thought I would tell you a little about me. I am a Christ-child. I am a homeschool graduate. I love scrapbooking, quilting, photography, reading, homemaking and serving in my church. I recently got married (January 21), a long awaited dream come true.
I moved states.
My car died.
So, I found myself newly married, in an unknown community (with no car), married to wonderful man whom I am continuing to learn about, with the ominous job of unpacking.
My years of being a daughter in-the-home while serving at my church have really paid off. The abilities that we (you and I) aquire are priceless. Making insurance calls, assessing whether my car is worth repairing or should just be junked, picking out a doctor, remembering how to get to the grocery store, organizing cupboards, pantries and closets, unwrapping gifts, printing thank you notes and writing them out, making meals, doing laundry, cleaning (but first, figuring out where my husband keeps the cleaning supplies), finding a bandaid because I cut my finger and don’t know where they are–these are merely some of the things I’ve run into in the few weeks that I have been married.
The Lord has blessed us with a lovely apartment, small, but lovely. Creativity comes in handy! How many pieces of our furniture can I squeeze into our tiny living room? Where should all the extra bathroom supplies that a girl comes with be stored?
Living in a household, with a family, makes for loud, crazy days. My days here are quiet. Right now, with all there is to do with being newly married and setting up house, I find the silence to be the hardest challenge. I miss my friends. I miss the life and hubub of my family. I find that playing music, throwing in a classic movie like Sense & Sensibility or calling my Mom while I work on things helps to silence the echo of quiet.
When you were first married, what was most challenging or hardest to become accustomed to? As a daughter in the home, what are you doing with your days to prepare for being a homemaker?
By: Hannah Howe
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Hi, Hannah
My hubby (also named Ken) and I recently celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary. I remember vividly the many changes and adjustments I experienced as a newlywed wife. My hubby lived in the country. I had lived at home(in town) and the quiet was almost deafening, at first. I also remember that the first year of marriage was the hardest for us. It seemed like all our differences came out and we learned to love each other all over again. Now, I can say we are lost without one another. He is still my very best friend. Thanks for your post that reminded me that every marriage has it’s beginning stage. Stop on over to my blog if you’d like. I have posted lots of stuff on marriage, too!
In His Lo?e, Ann
Ann,
Thank you so much for the encouragement and invitation to your blog. I’ll be checking it out! Bless you sweetie:)
Hannah
My husband and I got married in June of last year, so we have been married for about 8 1/2 months now and I still feel like I’m learning and adjusting as a newlywed! I did not grow up being trained as a homemaker, so I am still struggling with that. I don’t know the tips and tricks to keeping the house clean and preparing nightly meals, but am learning slowly on my own. The other hardest part was Christmas – I am used to a big family with all these Christmas traditions that are loud and fun, while my husband’s family’s traditions are much more reserved. It all takes time to adjust and relying on the Lord!
Shannon,
It sounds like our backgrounds are similar. I am from a big family where we are loud and he is from a quiet family. We still have a lot of adjusting along the road ahead but you are so right, we can do it with the Lord’s help!
Hannah
Dearest Hannah, you are on my mind often! And in my prayers too!
For us it was Tim, my husband, that moved away from family. I remember the excitement he had in his eyes the first time he came home from the grocery store after running into someone he knew there! And the pride he had the first time we ran into someone that he knew, but I didn’t! Bit by bit, and experience by experience, he has come to call this city his home. We can’t imagine living anywhere else.
Have fun feathering your nest! This is certainly an exciting time of life! ?
Amy,
I can completely understand where Tim was at. I got excited yesterday when I was able to recognize where the post office was without using the GPS. Moving to a bigger city sure has its challenges but I’m hoping, like Tim, to call it home and not be able to imagine living anywhere else.
I miss you!
Hannah
My husband and I will be celebrating our 10 yr anniversary this May! I remember our first year married was hard: We moved, to a state where his family lived but were at least an hr drive away so we didn’t see them that often. I left a good job for a not so great one. Left friends I’d known for years and all my family. Finished college but decided to wait for grad school (out of state tuition). Infrequently even saw my husband, he was finishing some intensive training. But I remember stolen moments were sweet. Just watching him sleep when he fell asleep exhausted on the couch. Making him dinner and bringing it to his work to surprise him. Having Christmas at our apartment for his family. Him showing me where he grew up and went to school, sharing stories of this friend or that experience. Enjoying him and thanking God that we were each others for a lifetime. Congratulations on your Marriage!
hippie4ever,
Thank you so much for those shared, sweet moments. You are so right in saying that you were, “thanking God that we were each others for a lifetime.” I feel the same way.
Each moment is a blessing,
Hannah
Thanks for sharing your story with us, Hannah. Those newlywed days are truly special.
Welcome to the team!
Thanks Tiana!
Hey! I just got married last October.. I can so relate to the whole adjustments thing with getting married and being a SAHW! lol some days its still hard.
Would love to be able to correspond with you a bit on being a SAHW.
Cherith,
You can email me at hannah@howefamily.me. I’d love to talk with you too:)
Hannah
Hello,
I read your post with tears in my eyes as I was amazed at how similar our lives are. I got married on exactly the same day as you and I am experiencing the same challenges you are. I love my husband and I love having the opportunity to share my life with this wonderful man. I do, however, miss my family and friends. I have found that I am not as outgoing as I once thought, since I moved to AZ in November for a job and have made no friends. I look forward to hearing more about your story and pray that it will help me to deal with my loneliness in this new change.
Thank you
Vianey,
Oh sweetie, I totally know what you’re going through. I sent you a private message, let me know if you got it!
Hannah