Chantel: Moving On With Marriage

We finally moved back into our house!! It's been a total of 6 months since our house caught fire. It was a nightmare in the beginning! But waiting that long has been so worth it. Our house looks incredible; better than before! We feel like we're finally starting to settle down. When we were living in the trailer it kind of felt like our lives were on hold; only because we weren't doing the normal married thing. We couldn't make our own dinner our do laundry in our own home. Being back in our house makes us appreciate the things we have so much more!

Jacob and I both work full time. We do have health insurance (for the person who asked) and we own the home we live in! Not too many young couples can say that…especially if you live in California.

We just bought another puppy. Her name is Jill and we get her in about two weeks! So far we can't complain. God has been faithful and provided for us with all of our needs. We're incredibly happy and excited to see what God has in store for us in the future!

Byron Responds...

What's up, everybody? This is Byron, and I just want to say thank you for responding to the show. First of all, I just want to say to everyone that you have to keep the Lord in your relationship because without him there is no relationship. Also, if you really love the person you are with and you know you’re going to be with them forever, don’t wait. Get married. Who cares how old you are? You’re never too young to get married.

ADRIANNA. I just want to say thank you for the advice about going to school. I am currently back in school and getting my degree like I had planned to do from the start.

MICHELLE. I just want to say thank you for responding to our episode, but I just want to let you know that over here in Fresno, CA, African Americans are targeted more with the stereotypes. I hear some of the dirtiest things being said about me and it is because of the color of my skin. But, aside from all of that, thank you for writing to us and good luck on your relationship or future relationship.

I just want to say to everyone who is in the same situation, hold your head high and marry whomever you want to marry. If you want to get married at a young age or someone who is of a different race, marry that person if you love them. Don't let anybody discourage you. You’re getting married to the person you want to marry, not everybody else. I love Ashley very much and I plan to be with her forever. I know that she is a tough person to be with, but love conquers all things. Thank you all for your feedback and if you need some more advice, I will write more for you all. Keep in mind that you will see more of Mr. and Mrs. Bourgeois.
Thank you. We love you guys…

Ashley Responds...

Hey, this is Ashley! First of all, I am glad that people have seen more than just the arguing in our episode. I am glad that some of you guys have also seen the message that we were trying to put out. Remember this: Life is full of its ups and downs, but it is so much better to have them with the one you LOVE.

PATRICA...... Girl, tell anybody and everybody that you are engaged. Be proud that you found a good man in your life that you are about to start a family with. Not a lot of girls have the luxury of finding one, so that shows how lucky we are. When I first became engaged, I was embarrassed to show people because I myself felt I was too young. Then, one day I realized that I am not going to be engaged forever. The man I have treats me like a queen and I should be proud and care less about what anyone thinks, including our families. Don't hide your happiness -- be proud of yourself! You’re going to college and doing everything right. That is all that matters. Good luck and congrats on the engagement and the new arrival.

KRISTINA..... Congrats on your wedding and I hope you have a happy life. My advice is get married when you feel you are ready. I am 19 and he is 21. There is never a perfect age. As long as you two are in love, that is all that matters. About your families… they are always going to be there and are going to have to accept it sooner or later. Byron and I have been together for 5 years and have not broken up once. The first 3 years, my family did not accept him, but then they grew to love him because they have seen how well he takes care of me. Now they take his side all the time instead of mine. The family will always come around, you just have to stay strong and support each other. As for my dress, I got it at David’s Bridal, but it wasn't too cheap. Good luck and enjoy your wedding to the fullest because it becomes more stressful as you get closer to the date.

VANITY..... Real LOVE is all that matters.
It is hard when your husband's family doesn't accept you, but I guess you have to learn how to deal with it. I have learned to stay strong and accept their decisions, just as they have to accept that we are in love and there is not one emotion stronger than love that can break it. Love is a beautiful thing and there is no other feeling like it, so when you find it don't let it go.
As for my being bossy, yes I can get like that, but I am not like that all the time. If you seen the aftermath on mtv.com you will see that Byron likes that about me. He likes a strong girl and that is what I am. I view a relationship as being 50/50 and that is the way we are. We always make our decisions together.

To those we have inspired, all we have to say is stay strong and don't give up. Live life to the fullest with each other and enjoy each other’s company. Take it one day at a time and know that the relationship is getting stronger each day that goes by.
To those who want to chat, just write a response and I will definitely write back.
ASHLEY

Jessica: Answering Your Questions

Hi everyone, it's Jessica here! I just want to say thank you to everyone's encouraging thoughts & hopes for us. We appreciate it so much. I cried the first time I read all of your comments because they touched me so much. I just want to say thank you. Everything is great, too, with the marriage and the baby! I want to answer everyone's questions, so I picked a few from your responses:

Q: The sex of the baby?
A: IT'S A BOY!

Q: What are you going to name the baby?
A: After Frank! Frank Joseph Jr.

Q: When is the baby due?
A: July 18th, 2007

Q: Are you going natural or epidural?
A: I would like to do it without the epidural. One, because the women in my family seem to have BAD luck with those things and I don’t want any problems. Two, because I want to know what I’m doing and feel everything. If I can’t handle it, then I'll take the epidural, but as far as I’m concerned… it’s au naturel for this woman!!!!!!

Q: What were you going to name the baby if it was a girl?
A: Juliana Marie

Q: Where did the episode take place?
A: Norwood, Pennsylvania. Delaware County.

Q: Are things better with Frank's sisters?
A: Yes, as a matter of fact they are! I couldn’t be happier. I love his family and they are great people, they just WORRY TOO much! But, I love them, and they love me.

Q: Are things any different with Frank's brother?
A: Well considering I don’t see him that much, I cant really say, but I do hope that Frank's brother realizes that Frank is a married man now with a baby on the way and he needs to respect that! It's not that Frank's brother didn’t ever like me, he just wants a party partner! He just needs to respect the fact that Frank can’t be his party partner anymore! Someone wrote a comment to our blog that read "I think that your brother was just jealous that you have a real thing going on, and he doesn't.” (written by martha). I think there was or still is some truth in that but...we'll never know for sure!

Q: Do you have any brothers or sisters?
A: As a matter of fact, I have three brothers! They were never shown on TV because they didn’t have anything negative to say about the wedding! I have one older brother and two younger brothers -- Adam, Matthew & CJ. They are happy for us and they all LOVE Frank.

Q: Do you have a myspace?
A: Yes, we do. The link is http://www.myspace.com/iloveyoupeanut

Thank you to everyone who watched the show, and thank you for all the great comments and questions. I hope I answered all of your questions. If not, don't hesitate to ask more!!!!

Love Always,
Mr & Mrs. Melasecca

Jacob: I Couldn't Be Happier

I love my wife! She's amazing and is everything I could ever want in a wife. She's the most beautiful and caring person I know. We're establishing our lives together and it's been amazing! Married life has been incredible. I couldn't be happier…everything worked out perfectly! We love each other and we love our little family that we have. Me, Chantel, and our dog Jack! God has blessed our marriage and we're so thankful for everything. Write back!

Chantel: Shaping Our Marriage

Where do I even begin? Marriage is definitely something I went in knowing nothing about. I'm going to be real with you all; it is NOT a walk in the park. It can be hard, and it can test your patience. Sometimes you get so mad to the point where you just want to scream and leave. But you don't. We work out whatever is going on and we grow. I've found things in Jacob that can only be found in marriage. And the same goes with him. He has seen a side of me that most people don't see. We're figuring out what it's like to be married and we're adjusting. Marriage is about compromising. It's about putting yourself second and your spouse first. Through everything we've been through in the short amount of time that we've been married, I would not change one single thing. He's the love of my life and my best friend. We have so much fun together and truly value and enjoy one another. Our families are a huge support to us…especially with all the things that have been going on (I.E. our house catching on fire 6 weeks before the wedding). We've been living in our trailer (just to give you a heads up).

Overall, I honestly can't complain. My husband is a hard worker, he provides for is wife, and he loves me unconditionally. Being young shouldn't be a reason why you don't get married. Jacob and I both talked about it. We know we're young. We know we have a lot to learn. But would we change anything? No, because we're learning together and we're growing together. That's what helps you through the tough times. That's when you can tell someone who's going through the same thing you went through, "I've been there, I know how you feel." It's such a testimony to people when they see a young couple overcome the hurdles of marriage and get through it on top. I'm not saying we've overcome all the things of marriage. But the things we have overcome is helping shape our marriage, and making us the people we are today. God, love, trust, honesty, and faith are what are shaping us into the married couple we are today. Write back!

A Texas Style Update From Amanda

So I just have to tell you all that Chris and I went to San Antonio and Corpus Christi TX for a week and loved it. We drove twenty-four hours to get to San Antonio, and another two hours to Corpus Christi. It was a long drive! We got to visit our really good friends, who happen to be a military family that is stationed there. I was so glad to visit her because she sits at home alone most of the time. I got to entertain her. I am sure she had an amazing time. They got married young as well. She was 18 and graduated June 2006. By August, she was married. Like Chris and I, they are perfect for each other.

In Corpus Christi, we went surfing…something I had never done. We didn’t get huge waves, but I did awesome. Neither Chris nor I had ever had any lessons; it was our first time. I am a much better surfer than snowboarder. I got up my first time and rode it for a minute or two. I thought it might be harder. I seriously want to move to a beach and surf all day long! I love it! But next time we go? I am totally flying.

Even in Texas people came up to us and asked if we were the couple on MTV. We will never get used to being recognized everywhere we go. A lot of times they tell us that they love the show and wonder when we might do another one. It is hard to think that people across the world know my story and want to be a part of my life. I don’t mind sharing. But it is still weird to have people know you when you are in a city that you have never been to in your life.

SO ALL OF YOU KNOW: I GAVE CHRIS’ MOM A NECKLACE SO SHE WOULD FEEL A PART OF IT. IT IS THE ONE I WORE IN THE TEMPLE. IF YOU WANT TO FIND IT, GO TO THE ENGAGED MAIN SITE AND CLICK VIDEOS. YOU CAN WATCH OUR AFTER SHOW. I EXPLAIN IT MUCH BETTER IN MY BLOG TITLED “REACTIONS TO YOUR COMMENTS”. I SUGGEST YOU READ THAT.

To the girls who wanted to know about my dress. It is actually a designer dress made by Maggie Satero. It was the only modest dress she made. Almost any place you go to will do a modest fill on your dress. There are lots of places in Utah that have modest dresses. You just have to shop around. I suggest any soon-to-be bride go to lots and lots of places until you find the perfect one. Mine was in the 4th place I went to. Just take your time. When you put it on you will know it is the right one because you will love it so much…You won’t want to take it off.

Chris and I did not live with each other before we got married. Everyone said it was going to be hard to live with someone. But it wasn’t at all. You don’t have to live with someone before you marry them to know you are perfect for each other. We have had no problems being married and only have little arguments over things like games and sports…must be because we are very competitive. By the way…I was the better surfer. Write Back!

Amanda.

Josh: Life is Good

Since the show I have gotten a countless number of messages, emails, and even a few random phone calls from people who watched our episode.People ask about our house, my music, and, surprisingly enough, a lot ofgirls have sent me their phone numbers (which still amazes me because they saw me on TV getting married). But anyways, it also seems thatquite a few ask why Bre and I decided to get married so young andwould we encourage this to others. This is tough because so manyvariables come into effect. I feel that your level of maturity is more of a determining factor than your age. I know this probably soundsfunny coming from a guy who slept in a bathroom with his two youngerbrothers. But I’m honestly not that immature. I’m just kind of random. I actually work full-time, go to school full-time, and I just signedwith a company in California to pursue my music. I am also luckyenough to have two great parents who support me in everything I do.Since getting married, I feel like the luckiest guy in the world. I’m not a very sentimental person. But I honestly wake up every morningwith a smile on my face. I am very content. Life is good.

God Bless,
Josh

Byron: Being Married is a Beautiful Thing

What's up everybody? This is Byron. Ashley and I are still together. And we are happier than ever. In the beginning of the relationship, Ashley and I went through a lot. We had people not wanting us to be together. We had people looking at us funny every time we went out in public. We even had people say nasty things like, "a Mexican girl shouldn't be with a black guy because black guys are all thugs and gang bangers". I'm not a thug, or a gang banger. And it really pisses me off to hear people say or think that about me. All I can say to people who are in the same situation I am in is that you are going to go through these things. You just can't let ignorance stop you from doing what you want to do; don't let it get the best of you.

Being married is a beautiful thing. It makes you feel good to know you have someone who will always be there for you through thick and thin. A Lot people say that when you get married, life isn't going to be fun anymore. But it's up to you to make it fun and keep the spark alive. I want to thank everyone who tuned in to watch the show. You will probably see more of us in the future.

Ashley and Byron: A New Member of the Family

Hi, this is Ashley! Just writing to say that we are still together and staying strong. Marriage is not easy when you get married young. But we are hanging in there. Life after marriage is good. Both sides of our family are accepting and supporting.(Well they have no choice NOW!). We are both working and going to school. No, Byron is not taking the Spanish class. But I will make sure he does SOON. Everybody looks at us different now that we are married. It is almost like we are the couple to look up to. I don't know why.

All the fighting on the show was not called for…we were just under stress. To all the inter-racial couples: you need to stay strong and not worry about what anybody has to say. They are just hating because they don't have it as well as you do. You have to be able to work and stay strong together because, with one person putting all the effort in the relationship, it will not work. To get any more tips, just write me and I will be more than happy to suggest something.

Peace out,
Mrs. Bourgeois!!!!!!!!!

Oh yeah - We have added a new member to the family. I bet you thought I would never consider it. But Byron wanted to add another member so bad, I had to please my husband. IT'S A BOY!!!!!!!! When you look into his eyes, you can't help but fall in love. His clothes are so tiny and adorable. I can't believe I didn't consider it sooner. His legs are so small and chunky. I am scared to pick him up because he looks so fragile. His hair is so healthy; soft and shiny. I am so excited to be a mother. Finally Byron got his Little Bourgeois!!!!! We named him Prince Bourgeois, and he looks just like his daddy!!! He is the best puppy in the world!!!!

Jen and Jake: A Reply to Everyone!

To start out…
Well, to start off we got married at St. Thomas More in Brooklyn, OH. It is an amazing church for anyone in the area getting married! They did a wonderful job.

Secondly…
Yes I am going to college as we speak. I am studying to be a pediatric nurse and should graduate next spring. I also work two jobs to keep myself busy from missing my hubby. Jake and I talk about the future all the time. I know what you mean when you say that the military has a lot to offer if he does decide to re-enlist. But honestly, I want him out. He wants a chance to go to college. He also wants to be a firefighter. We want a large family, and I really don't like how military families move around so much. We want to just finish up our time here and go back to our family in Cleveland. It is too hard to be away for so long.

To the Girl Who is Getting Married Before Deployment…
DO IT! Please marry your soldier before he leaves for Iraq or where ever he is going. If you don't, you will regret it if anything happens. Marrying him will remind him everyday there that he has a WIFE.

Concerning a Reality Show…
Haha! That’s so funny you asked about a reality show because we hear it from everyone! Everyone thinks that we should have our own show! We really are not together enough though to even do a show with one another! But thanks! Jake and I are glad to see some people can relate to us in many ways! I especially love it because I thought I was alone! Being a military wife is very lonely and I know this sounds weird... but it is extremely hard to make friends here. Families are coming and going all the time. It is like every time I make a new friend, they get relocated! It sucks! And on top of that, Jake is never here so I feel alone sometimes. You ladies who are with your man all the time... take advantage of it because we military wives don't get that at all.

The Bond We Still Share…
Jake and I have an amazing bond since he joined the Army. It sounds weird but we have such a strong relationship now. It is amazing to me. I think that being limited to the time we have with each other really affected our relationship for the better. We are so close it feels too good to be true sometimes. I just stare at him in amazement and think about what we have. He melts my heart over and over. I love it!

Jen: Married to the Military

It’s Mrs. Koszewski!! Haha! Well, lately my life has been very stressful and lonely. Being a newlywed has a different meaning in the military than it does in a "normal" relationship. Jake and I got married on December 22, and he has been gone since January 3rd- training for his job. We haven't had anytime together and when we do, he is studying for a major test that he has to pass. Military wives - HOW DO YOU DO IT?! I am seriously going crazy over here...moving FAR FAR away from home to be with the one you love, and then never seeing them? It is so hard for me. I don't know anyone here, and it is really affecting me. I am very close to my family and moving here to be with my husband was extremely hard. When I am upset or lonely I can't just go home and talk to mom or my best friends whenever. We have a 6 hour difference between us. When I am sleeping they are working, and when I am done working.. They are sleeping!! It is getting so hard for me to cope with my husband being gone, and I definitely give you wives credit who have done it for years! If you are young and getting ready to marry a soldier, I have some advice. Remember- when you marry a soldier, you are not only marrying him, but you are also marrying the military. You have to be prepared for it. That’s one thing that I was not prepared for. When Jake and I were together, before he joined, we had our own schedule. My husband and I now feel like the military controls us. We see each other whenever. I drop him off at work and who knows when he will be done at work that day?! Sometimes he calls me and tells me that he has to stay overnight in the field. It is so stressful. I just really need some reassurance from you other military wives that it does get easier, and that the time does pay off in the end! I miss my soldier so much, and I can't wait to see him again on March 28th!

The Splendid Married Life

Hello all,
Josh here. Married life is splendid. Bre & myself have been staying busy since the show. We are both working full-time and I'm still a full-time student, our lives are hectic, but we still make time for each other. Bre is a wonderful wife, she's learning how to cook, which has been interesting to say the least (she almost burnt our house down a week ago). Prior to the airing of our show, I was about to release my second music album and since then I have actually signed with a company in California to continue to pursue my music. Bre and I are very excited about this opportunity and have been blessed far than we deserve. Thanks for reading! Write back!

God Bless,
Josh

An Update From Ashley and Josh

Hey guys!

It's Ashley. I was just writing back to everyones' comments so far. Thank you! Yes- our kids are beautiful. I actually cannot get into pageants anymore; because I have kids they do not allow that. But the kids just entered in one on March 11th called New Star Discovery. Bryce won it and Nevaeh got the "magazine appeal" award!!!! They looked awesome and did great! Bryce might be going to nationals for it because he got his way paid but we are not sure yet. The nationals will be sometime in May and it's in Lexington. I want to do it because that could be a family vacation for us even though it is only an hour away. But thanks guys!

Josh will get on here sometime and write. He has been working a lot lately. But he does say hello and everyone sends their love to you all and we thank you and appreciate all the comments. We love you all and thank you for watching the show. I still watch every re-run myself. We will keep you all posted and try to write back to the comments when we can! In the meantime, keep the comments coming! Thanks!

Ashley and Family

Frank and Jessica Talk Marriage

What It's Like Having a Husband - Jessica
Since Frank and I have been married, not much has changed. We are just having some insurance issues with having the baby, But it will allwork out! I love being married to Frank. He is the best husband ever.Frank takes very good care of me. Being pregnant and all, I seem to be getting sick all the time. I've had three colds and the flu so far, and Frank never hesitates to get me anything I need. Doesn’t matter if it’s running to the store to get me medicine, or just making me a bowl of soup. He's great. There is nothing I could have asked more in a husband and soon-to-be dad than Frank.

To every young couple out there who’s planning to get married young…A little advice: Don't let anyone out there tell you you're too young to get married. Because, if you love each other and want to spend the rest ofyour life with that person, then you should, and that's all that matters. It's just you two now…you two against the world. I would do anything for Frank, and he would do anything for me. We are each other's best friends, and always will be.
Write back!

Life after Marriage - Frank

I love being married to Jess. Being married is the same as any other day. But the difference is knowing we'll be together forever. I cannot wait for our little baby boy to be born, because I cannot wait to teach him everything I know. Currently I am working at my dad's auto body shop, and I am searching for a new, better job so I can support my new family. I still enjoy the same things as before I got married, such as going out, hockey, playing my video games. The only thing I don't like about being married is wearing a wedding ring, because I'm not a jewelry kind of person. A few months after the baby is born, Jess, the baby, and I will be getting a house around our area. We are currently living with Jess' parents so we can save money for a house when the baby comes.
Write back.

An Update From Jen

My girlfriends came down to Hawaii for their spring break. They have been here for the past week and it has been amazing. Going out acting like a teen again really made me think a lot about college life.

Jake and I were talking about everything the other day and we got on the college subject. I was telling him how I still kind of wish that I had a chance to dorm at college, but when I think about what me and him have- I rethink that. I am so glad to have Jake because I try to think of where and what I would be doing right now in Ohio...and no good thoughts come to mind! Jake really put my life on track and put a good head on my shoulders. He reminds me all the time of all the potential I have and it feels good to have someone like that around all the time. We have a very strong relationship together and are really looking forward to the rest of our lives together!
Write back!!

Chris and Amanda, One Final Thought: Perfection

We loved our wedding. It was absolutely beautiful and we would never had haven it any other way, starting it off in the temple was perfect! Having the ring ceremony was perfect! The poems our sisters (Chris' sisters Kelcey and Sam) read were perfect! The song our brother in-law (Raymond) wrote and sang with his wife (Amanda's sister Jamie) was perfect! The food, which was our favorite pumpkin pie, cheese cake, and a chocolate fountain were perfect! The cake that Amanda's sisters' made was absolutely beautiful and perfect and we never could have bought a better one! It was so different and ours and perfect! Getting to have that special day with my special someone was absolutely PERFECT!
Write back!
Love,
Amanda

Chris and Amanda - Answering Your Questions

Hey everyone, it's Chris and Amanda!

We plan on having kids eventually. I (Amanda) could have kids now, but can wait two years. I (Chris) want to have kids in four years. I think that is a long long time. For now we are just enjoying the married life.

We met in 9th grade on the swim team. Chris always tells me he loved me the whole time but I question that. We were best friends from the moment we met on. Chris always made my boyfriends jealous. And Amanda was always trying to push girls away from me. So we were meant to be together. We even said if we where 28 and not married we would get married. We even planned all the colors of our wedding and stuff. This was in our junior year. We were still just best friends. It's great to marry your best friend 'cause you never run out of things to talk about or to use on the other person and remind them of the things they did in high school and only told you.

So to answer some of your comments, I didn't have a roommate, that was just one of my groomsmen who stayed the night. Also, Uncle Al: This was our idea. We thought it would be fun but was very stressful also. My mother, Juliann, wasn't really sure why we did it. For those who asked, Chris' sisters are 16 and 12 and very cute girls- I love them! And our temple is just like the temples in the Bible only certain righteous people can go in each section people who have made the covents to go in that section. It's the house of our loving Lord. It's where we go for peace and we don't want people in there criticizing us while we are trying to get peace and inspiration. It just makes sense. And the Lord has set the standards, not us, so we don't decide who is worthy or not. The person who wants to go in has there own choice if they want ot be worthy or not.

In our opinion: If you want to get married but are afraid to, tell your parents. Just explain to them this is what you need now and you won't be happy without it. And just read all of the wonderful comments! We have lots of people marrying young and are very happy just be prepared to work for it and if you are prepared to work for it, tell them that too! Don't be afraid to tell someone you want to join the church, just tell them you know it's for you and if it's not for them fine. I understand being afraid if you love someone and they don't believe in it; it will be hard. But you never know, they might suprise you! Anyone looking for more information on the church, you could always talk to the local lds missionaries in your area.

Thank you for all the wonderful encouragement, prayers and blessings. We are sure at times we will need them. Right now we just love being together, having fun with each other, and KISSING! MTV told us we were the kissy couple but we just love to give each other little kisses every minute of everyday if we could to show are love. We know that we love each other more than anything and we wanted to have our own life together, SO WHY WAIT! WE LOVE EACH OTHER!!
Write Back! -- Amanda & Chris

Spending Time with the Family

Hey everyone,
Its Josh and Ashley from the show! We just wanted to say thanks for all the positive and encouraging comments. The show made it seem that Josh doesn't let me go out but he is always telling me to go out and spend time with my friends. I do go out but I really don't hang out with anyone so... But I just hate to leave. I love spending all the time in the world that I can with my family. Thank you for saying our children are so beautiful. We think so too... We wanna thank everyone again and we wish you the best in your lives and God Bless you all. Keep in touch!
Hugs & Blessings: Ashley, Josh, Bryce, & Nevaeh Grimes!!!!!! <3

Ashley and Josh: Wedding Excitement

I am so excited and I cannot wait to see our show. I think that it will be good and there will be a little arguing of course seeing the previews, but overall I think it will turn out great. I don't care what anyone thinks of us but it would be nice to see other peoples' reactions and hear what they have to say about it. It is weird to know that the whole world is going to be watching us!
Things are going great here. I do feel married and when someone asks me my name I say Ashley Grimes and it feels different; it is going to take a little to get used to. I had to go and have my name changed and get a new DL and that was cool-- the picture sucks on it though. But overall as a family we are very happy, healthy, and ready to see ourselves on MTV! I am very excited and loved that Josh is the man for me, he makes me and the family complete and I'm sure he would say the same thing about me. "Knock" on wood we have not fought yet and that feels great. I think since we are married now I really have nothing to worry about. I never did but now its official so nothing can stop us. I can't really say too much about the future because we can't predict what will happen but as far as the marriage, it will always stay great. We are a very strong family. A lot of good things have been happening to us and they feel like they keep getting a little better each time. We are so totally madly in love. Looking forward to hearing from you! -Ashley

" Married." What a thing. I never thought I would be happier than what I am to hear Ashley call herself Mrs. Grimes. To be honest, she still hasn't got it right, 'cause every place she calls to change her name she stills says Ashley Webb but then corrects herself, and I find it funny as hell. To be called a husband or to hear her refer to me as her husband instead of her fiance is a feeling all its own. I can't wait to see our episode tonight, but what I can wait for is the calls, e-mails, and text messages that we are going to be getting afterwards. Not to much has changed since the wedding, but our life was a married life before. I can say this: Ashley's attitude, and the sex life....WOW...complete turn around. Our kids-beautiful, I can't say anything 'bout them except that they are perfect. Other than that life goes on as usual, funny, happy, and all that I expected. Write back!- The Grimes

Reflections on Marriage

Jen - Thank you everyone for all the comments. Seeing other people also in our situation is comforting. I love having all the military wives write to me because, finally, I have someone else to relate to. Gee... I thought I was the only crazy one to always be on Jake's case, but for those who are also with soldiers- you have to be. I try to give him alone time with friends here in Hawaii. But when I do that, I always feel like I am missing out on the time I have with him. I try not to always want to hold him or love him because thinking about Iraq really hurts. When we hold each other at night or kiss...when I haven't seen him in a week…it is the best feeling. But I still can't imagine waiting for an entire year to do that again. Jake promised me that he will not re-enlist, so that makes me happy to hear because Iraq once is enough for me. Like he said before, I am his partner in crime and vise versa. I am so happy that we got married when we did. It gives us time to make a stronger bond before he leaves and most of all when we move back home. Advice I give to all my girlfriends all the time...If he is your best friend, your lover and you can picture a perfect family with him in the future- marry him. My favorite thing to do now that I am married is sit back and just stare at Jake when he is watching TV and dream about the best future we are going to have together. I can't wait to have a family and be the best mom and wife ever.

Thank You!!

Amanda - What I gave Chris' mom was a necklace. I wore the necklace in the temple and gave it to her when me and Chris walked out of the temple as I explained earlier. There's an overwhelming number of comments and questions and I am having a hard time answering them all, seeing I got sick and Chris has been taking care of me, what an amazing husband.

THANK YOU AGAIN!!!!!! My mom, Juliann, was worried about the impact of the show on everyone and reading all your lovely and encouraging comments made her day. There is nothing better than making the mother of a lovley bride cry. She gets emotional anyways but she appreciates all of you and if she could hug you all I bet she would. I wouldn't put that past her.