One night, my husband and I were arguing. He pointed out that, in our household, I usually made decisions without even consulting him. As an example, he brought up the time I tore off the wallpaper in our kitchen. I had almost forgotten about that weekend.

We bought the house a long time ago in New England. I loved it—it was a spacious, multi-level home. The only thing I disliked was the wallpaper. At the time, wallpaper was very popular, especially in New England, where it often reflected the colors and patterns of old colonial style.

That Friday afternoon, I don’t quite remember what happened—I just wasn’t in a good mood. I picked up our daughters and went grocery shopping. After putting the food away in the refrigerator, I looked at the wallpaper. For some reason, it suddenly felt unbearably unattractive. On impulse, I decided to tear it off. 

Only later did I realize it was not an easy task. Each previous owner had simply covered the old wallpaper with new layers, making it almost impossible to remove. My husband went to the hardware store to rent a steamer, and in the meantime, he ordered pizza. We ended up spending the entire weekend trying to fix the mess I had started.

I had completely forgotten about the whole thing, but my husband remembered. He must have been so fed up with me that day.

Being a couple with two completely different personalities hasn’t been easy. But somehow, we’ve made it through. Sometimes, I wonder if it’s a miracle.

He always told me he understood how difficult it would be for me to change—my free, innovative spirit, strong personality, and impulsive decisions. Yet he also admired my inner passion, artistic creativity, and deep empathy for others. I know I’m not always easy, and I’m profoundly grateful that God chose him for me. I truly am a very lucky wife.

Many unexpected things happen in our lives all the time. Like the wallpaper—layer after layer on our kitchen wall—each one was chosen by a previous homeowner. I imagine most of them were housewives, spending much of their time in the kitchen, just as I did—the queen of the kitchen.