All kidding aside
Don't listen to those who all claim to have happy marriages and do what they do. Many people who claim to be happy really aren't.
Listen to me, I do divorce law so I see the crap side of marriage all the time. Just don't do what those people do.
1. Don't do everything she says, you need to stand up for yourself sometimes even if it means you are cut off for x days.
2. It is guaranteed you will hate her at least 3 days a month (and not necessarily during her period), she will hate you 3 days a month. The key is to make sure you don't hate each other at the same time.
3. Sex will fade dramatically, that is just life. Throw in children and the frequency will drop even more. It shouldn't but it does.
4. Children are a blessing but also a curse at times for marriage. If you discipline the tot, she will defend them to the death like a grizzly protecting its young. You will always be wrong about the children so don't even try to countermand her.
In the end, people get divorced for 3 main reasons in my view
1. money, either too much so you think you can divorce with financial impunity or not enough so you have financial stress, let her work and spend what she wants and you spend what you want. If you have a stay at home mom, you will face financial stress, then if you divorce, you get nailed with massive spousal support. Let her continue working, it is great financially and it ensures she will still see a purpose to her life. Mine still works 4 days a week and it keeps her sane. If she were home all the time as a housewife, she would go nuts.
2. Sexual issues lead to divorce. It is too bad we can never find another on the same page sexually either in terms of types of sex we want, frequency etc Throw in two jobs, children, school activities etc, it drains you. Make time for intercourse. Men need it to show their love. Women need it to show they are loved. If you don't get it, it will cause other problems.
3. Children. Cause more difficulties in marriages than people think. Reasons 1 and 2 apply as you spend a ton of the tots to give them great holidays, toys up the ying yang, take them to events all the time etc. Children lead to less sex which creates tension. Discipline is also an issue.
Last thing to remember, your marriage licence cost 56, multiply that by 10000and you might get the cost of a divorce. Learn to eat a lot of crap in your marriage and then you won't get stung with a high cost divorce.
It also won't hurt to hit on other women every once in a while even if you don't intend to go any further if for no other reason than to let yourself know you still have it, gives you confidence. Same for her, let her go out and get hit on, make her feel pretty etc.
I had fun in SF hitting on some chicks and hopefully when my wife is in Toronto next week for a conference, she will get hit on and feel good about herself. I told her to wear something hot when she goes out that night.
: They'll definitely be some hurdles in their marriage in the beginning like when he decides he's tired of holding in his gas now that they're married and the first time she's staring a laundry basket full of his dirty underwear. Dating and being married are two different animals.
