What I Wish Someone Had Told Me About the First Five Years of Marriage

Marriages are not self-sustaining and do not survive on autopilot. They require constant attention and intentional effort. But it can be a rewarding effort. It can be an adventure! —from the Introduction

How does a newly married couple make "happily ever after" really happen? Is marital bliss a myth or something truly attainable in the first years of marriage?

Roy Petitfils has spent many hours listening to married couples try to work out their problems. He knows firsthand as a spouse and father of two that to have a lasting, fulfilling and happy married life, a couple needs to plan, work hard, and dedicate themselves to making their marriage work. If couples can make it through the pivotal and life-changing first five years of marriage without a lot of collateral damage, hurt feelings, and miscommunication, then the likelihood of making it through a lifetime together is significantly greater. With stories from friends, clients and his own marriage, Roy Petitfils provides practical—and often humorous—tips for anyone preparing for marriage or already married.

ROY PETITFILS is a professional school counselor and administrator at St. Cecilia Catholic School in Broussard, Louisiana. He is a counselor at Pax Renewal Center for Individual, Marriage, and Family Therapy. Author of A Practical Guide to High School Campus Ministry, he writes an internationally syndicated column, "Our Young Church." Roy, his wife, Mindi, and their sons, Maximillian and Benjamin, live in Youngsville, Louisiana, and are active members of Sacred Heart Church in Broussard. Roy served on the Diocesan Pastoral Council for his home diocese of Lafayette.