Let me preface this by saying I know there are about a million other articles and blog posts that are similar to the one I’m about to write.

In spite of that, I am taking the time to write my two cents on romance because I feel like it's important. I want to write this because I’ve been the lonely single girl, the happily single girl, the girl with a boyfriend, the girl with a fiancée, and the girl with a husband. Over the past three-and-a-half years, I've been the girl who had a baby with her husband. That is a different story altogether.

I'll go ahead and tell you we're far from perfect. There were times when disagreements about money, parenting, and a myriad of other things nearly drove us apart. We haven't gotten where we are today because of moonlit walks under the stars or candlelit dinners. It's not because of our age or our length of time together before marriage. There are some core principles that I've noticed in our relationship and other long-term relationships I've observed that helped us get to our fifth anniversary (which is a few weeks away).

1. Open and honest communication is a must.

I know, "communication is key" is a cliche you've heard a billion times before. It's right up there with "love is a choice" and "it's all about compromise" (which, by the way, are also true).

But over the past few years, I've started to notice that nearly every argument my husband and I have ever had was originally caused by a misunderstanding. He meant one thing, and I took it a different way. He didn't understand my point of view on the topic. A tone of frustration was taken as a tone of disrespect.

Every human being comes at their adult life from a different vantage point. No matter how similar you may seem at the beginning of a relationship, five years later you will know beyond a doubt you're with a separate human being with their own unique quirks, likes and dislikes, flaws and virtues. Open communication is the only way to air out those differences and come to the perfect compromise. If you sweep things under the rug, sooner or later you'll end up with a mountain underneath it.

2. The most important thing couples can have in common: goals.

You know those questions you ask at the semi-beginning of a relationship?

"How many kids do you want to have?"

"Where do you see yourself in five years? In ten?"

"What are your career goals? Are you willing to balance those with a family?"

Turns out those questions are super, uber important after all. If the answers to these questions and others like them are different from the get-go, you'll never agree on anything else. Even if you're not sure of the answers yet, make sure you're comfortable with the answers the other person gives and it's not something way out of your ballpark. No amount of attraction or "puppy love" can make up for the lack of common goals.

3. Love is blind.

I'm talking blind as a bat. Over the past few years, I've looked like hell I can't even count how many times. But when your boyfriend/husband calls you beautiful, just take it, even if you don't feel like it. And if they tell you an outfit doesn't look good on you, don't freak. It means the outfit sucks and isn't doing your body justice (and usually they're right).

4. It's okay to fall into a "role."

For the past five years, I have fought tooth and nail against my house cleaning duties (mostly by planting my fat butt in front of the TV and watching Netflix marathons). I didn't want to be "that housewife" that did nothing but sweeping the floor and making dinner. I've bent over backwards finding ways to make money and advance myself so people wouldn't label me as a "homemaker" and nothing else (which isn't bad; I have a remote job now that I really love and I'm about to graduate with my first Bachelor's degree in May). But the truth is, as long as tasks are being shared, it doesn't matter how they're being divvy'd up. I hate working with plants and am deathly afraid of certain outdoor pests, so it makes sense for me to take care of the indoor chores. It doesn't make me June Cleaver. And if you're that girlfriend or wife who takes two hours to get ready to go somewhere, or that husband who misses subtle hints and are labeled as "clueless," that's okay too, as long as you take the stereotypes with a grain of salt.

5. Blow things off sometimes.

Let the dishes sit in the sink while you cuddle with your SO. Let the laundry stay unfolded in the basket. Let a phone call go unanswered. I’m not saying be lazy or shirk responsibilities, but don’t be so obsessed with keeping things perfect that you forget quality time. When you’re on your deathbed you’re not going to care that you didn’t make all your meals in advance or always keep the floors pristinely clean. You’re going to remember the good times you had with the people you love.

Happy Early Anniversary, babe! Here's to the next five years.