...Love Don't Cost A Thing?

Weekend.

Woke up. Hm. Empty bed. Can hear typing sounds from the office. Dang. He's awake. And working? *sigh*

My husband has two jobs. One, his official job in IBM. The second one is his part-time job, which he operates from home. I helped him setup a home office where he can have all the privacy he wants to do his work. Hell, it is a library, an office, his sanctuary. All in one.

Yeah, we need the money. We have dreams. He wants a brand new car. I want to go for my annual vacation at a pricey resort in Redang. I work very hard on my commission. He works day and night for that extra cash so that we can live like we wished for during college.

When we first got married, it was quite a challenge for us. We were both 23, just starting out with our career. Our combined salary can barely cover our operation cost, which means, come mid month, we'll be pulling the purse string tighter than ever. We stayed at my parents' house, just to make ends meet. We have loans to pay, car tank to fill. To put foods on the table. But we were happy. Hey, we have each other... besides, we save on rent!

But living with parents do have it downsides. We have curfews (believe it). It's definitely not private (you have your parents sleeping next to your room, for god sake!). And at that age, we were still being patronized by our parents. That put a lot of strain in the relationship, so we decided to move out. Instead of renting, we decided to buy! Wow. At a tender age of 25, we were both a proud owner of a 3-bedroom apartment. Location? 15 minutes from Kota Damansara, 20 minutes from KL...

However, buying an apartment put another strain in the relationship. Yes, you have a house to call your own. BUT, then came the bill(s). You have monthly installment to settle (1K plus mind you), maintenance bill, utility bills, tax. That, to name a few.

Sometimes I am envious of my friends. Those who just got married. I felt that they have more time to accumulate more, so that they do have a better life after the wedding ceremony is over. They get to plan bigger and nicer wedding reception. They get to buy bigger cars. They get to buy bigger house. They even get to buy better furniture for their homes, unlike us who had to rely on IKEA for our stuffs. Not that we are not well-off, but I think I don't get to choose much.

But I always forget to count our blessings. Yes, we can only afford a small apartment, but we still have a roof on top of our heads. We can afford to eat out more than before. We still have our annual vacation. We have traveled extensively all over the country in my husband's national-brand car...

So my friends, yes, marriage is a blissful thing. You share your life with someone, for better or for worse. You learn how to accept your life no matter how difficult it is. You share responsibilities, you take accountability. And you learn one thing, even if your life might not paint a pretty scenery as your peers', and definitely not as pretty as you initially thought it should be, it is still yours, and yours only to see.

Now, if only I can coax my husband to buy me that brand new... hm...