Lovely post Deborah, thank you for sharing.
I'm a first wife of 17 years, and I can certainly see the wisdom in what you write. In my experience it is being certain you are in God's will in the first place, that gets you through those first years of getting to know each other. This is why I tell everyone contemplating marriage they need to wait as long as it takes to be SURE! For us that was only three months.
I have a husband that is everything I wanted and then some, and I have long marveled at God's goodness in bringing me such a wonderful man (he moved in next door). One of the things I appreciate about him is his willingness to be a father. We have a large family already, and recently heard we are having triplets. I have told God many times I would take whatever He wanted to give us.....I never expected three at once, but it is a reality we are fast adjusting to. When I see other mothers with two or three children who want more, but their husbands don't, I thank God for a man who loves his children and sees them as gifts, rather then burdens.
I wish everyone could be married to their best friend, and have someone they never tired of spending time with, who never tired of them. We love studying the Bible, time spent together as a family, and anything else we can do together.
I have no idea really what God has in mind for our future regarding a possible second wife, but just understanding the Biblical nature of such a family dynamic has been a blessing already.
Thanks again for sharing. I hope your testimony reaches many who didn't know or believe it was possible for ladies to be happy sharing.
Jolene