My husband and I will celebrate our 14th anniversary in August. When we got married his girls were 14 and 16 (the younger lived with us) and my daughter was 7. Adjusting parenting styles was probably the hardest thing to overcome (add a moody hostile 14 year old to the mix and the first few years were challenging). We've been on the brink of throwing in the towel a few times...but when the dust settles he is my best friend, my soft place to land, the one person who will always stand behind me...even when I'm wrong...and I love him dearly.
My grandparents had a 50th anniverary party quite a few years ago (they are both gone now) and I asked my Grandmother how to stay married for 50 years and she said "Say yes dear...a lot". I went into the other room and asked my Grandfather (who couldn't have heard my grandmother's response) the same question. His answer "Say 'whatever you want is fine with me...a lot'.
Marriage isn't 50-50 - sometimes it is 80-20 sometimes its 20-80...it is give and take, learning what really matters, when to give in, when to give up, when to stand your ground, when to say you're sorry, when to forgive and when to forget. It is understanding that although you may love someone there will be moments when you don't like them very much
...ultimately staying married is compromise and work and it has to come from the heart of both parties or it won't work.
Congratulations on 30 years.