Keith Urban Reveals Secret to Successful Marriage With Nicole Kidman

Keith Urban celebrated his 12th wedding anniversary with his wife, actress Nicole Kidman, on Monday, June 25. The couple, who are also parents to daughters Sunday Rose and Faith Margaret, have found a way to make their marriage work, even with two busy careers.

“We’re just like any married couple, trying to figure out what works and what doesn’t work,” Urban explains (quote via The Boot) “Trying to balance work and family life is challenging for everyone, and it’s no different for us.”

Urban, who entered rehab only a few months after their wedding to overcome his substance abuse issues, is determined to make their relationship last, regardless of how challenging it might be.

“We’re very, very ‘in it’ as a couple: very awake, very present and very in love,” he says, adding, “When it does go out of balance, we fix it quickly. We do whatever we’ve got to do. We travel, we do whatever it takes to not be apart.”

One good thing Urban has taken away from his life as an addict – and his ongoing commitment to sobriety – is how grateful he is for another chance at life.

“To be married, have children, play music for a living — all I’ve ever wanted to do is play music and travel around like a troubadour and try to bring some light and joy [to the world],” he says. “The fact that I get to do that every day is not lost on me.

“It’s a short life; it’s super-short,” Urban adds. “I don’t wanna miss any of it, because I think I missed out on a lot of it.”

The Aussie’s latest single, “Coming Home,” is currently in the Top 10. But although the song speaks about returning to the place that feels like home, for Urban, that’s anywhere his family happens to be.

“For me, home is wherever Nic and our girls are,” Urban tells PEOPLE. “My only desire was to not be specific about what or where or who home is. I like viewers to feel their own story and make their own connection.”

The 50-year-old moved to Music City in 1992, but he still gets homesick for Australia, where both he and Kidman grew up.

“For me, I moved to Nashville 26 years ago, ’cause this is where I wanted to live since I was little kid, and it was a magical city for me,” Urban says. “I was dreaming of being here, I loved being here, but it was really tough as well. There was plenty of times I wished I could get in my car and go home for the weekend and just be around my family, and I couldn’t that, so that feeling’s always stayed with me.”

Download “Coming Home” on iTunes.

Photo Credit: Getty images/Dominique Charriau