In Defense of Theses and Marriage

I've been thinking a lot about marriage recently, specifically the one I share with Nick. When we began our life together, we sealed together our bodies and our spirits -- our souls. We promised we would share our time, laundry, dishes, joys, sorrows, laundry, accomplishments, homework, laundry heartbreaks, laundry, and everything else for the rest of our lives.

For the rest of eternity.

That's a pretty big commitment to make at 19 and 23 years old after only knowing each other for not even 2 years. And I couldn't be happier with my decision.

Now, 7 years and little bit later, we are closing the formal education chapter of our lives together today. Yes, my genius husband is defending his thesis today! These past few months have been hard -- filled with  early mornings, late nights, and very little time together in between. To put it frankly, it has been a time that has really stretched and defined our marriage and commitment to each other.

***And if you think I am using the title "genius husband" liberally, I would beg to differ. The title of his dissertation is "Magnetic Wreaths, Cycles, and Buoyant Loops in Convective Dynamos." Boo-yah!***

I would say the first year of our life together, facing infertility, and finishing Nick's Ph.D. are, so far, the defining points in our marriage where we really had to be firmly planted side by side, working very hard, to grow together as one.

 Our engagement picture entitled "The One We Like"

And after today, that defining period will be concluding. It's a kind of bitter sweet because as lives are shaped and defined they are also molded and formed into something new...hopefully better than they were. In our case, our lives are completely different than they were when we began as two separate entities, and how they are today is in large part due to the experiences we have shared as Nick has been working on his Ph.D. and all of these have happened while Nick's been a student.

I mean, the events of today is what our life together has been building and working towards since its inception! It's time to move on and be done, but I am certain that in 50 years this period in our lives will be regarded with love and fondness.

So I say with great pride: Nicholas, defend your thesis with honor, dignity, a stout heart, and a sure voice! I love you and the life we are moving to New Mexico next week! Truly, there could not be a woman as proud of or more devoted to her husband than I am this morning! My heart overflows with gratitude, love, joy, and excitement for you today as it does everyday I get to wake up knowing we are truly united and grow as one!

And just in case you don't know what a thesis defense looks like in practice, here's an example:

***UPDATE: Nick turned in his final dissertation August 9, 2013!!***