My husband is an extraordinary man and I am so, so blessed to be married to him. He is kind and gentle; intelligent and humble; he is generous and caring; he is brave and takes risks; he always puts his family first: he is the best father and husband that I could ever even imagine. He is my biggest champion and always has been. He believes that I can do anything, and he is willing to do whatever it takes to get the girls or I to where we want to go.
These last few months, since we began homeschooling have been fun and wonderful and joyful...the girls and I wake up in the morning happy that we will be together all day and we go to sleep excited to know that we will be learning together the following day. Sometimes we get a little melancholy wishing that Jason could be home with us, but we always remember that he is the reason that we can do this. Jason works hard to provide our family with everything we need and want. He will stop at nothing, sacrifice whatever it takes.
As joyful and fun as these months have been, they have also been an adjustment. I had been working at the library for over 2 years, but I was always home in the evenings; I always had plenty of times when the kids weren't here to clean the house, run the errands, do the laundry. Now, I am at work 2 evenings per week and Jason must prepare dinner. I sometimes work on weekends. I sometimes ask Jason to empty the dishwasher or vacuum or make beds or fold laundry. It's hard for me to ask him to do those things, because I wasn't raised that way; I was raised to believe that women do all of the domestic stuff and men handle the outside stuff. But Jason is gracious and willing to help, he makes it easy for me and possible.
Jason is always commenting on what a great job I am doing. When I get concerned that maybe something isn't going right, maybe the girls would be better off in school, he gently points to our TimeLine on the wall, how happy and relaxed our whole family is and the binders that are growing thicker with completed work every day. He reminds me that when the girls were in school and we asked about their day, they were vague; when we asked what they learned, they said nothing; if there was a story it was about some kid who misbehaved. Now, when he asks about their day, they are eager and excited to tell him about ancient Egypt, or share a story that they wrote and illustrated, or tell him about a science experiment that we did.
it doesn't hurt that he is so darn handsome! |
When I got home, the girls were eager and excited to show me the experiments they had done. They thought it was so cool that if you floated a piece of wood in a pyrex of water, put a lit tealight on the wood and then an overturned glass over the wood, water would rise inside the glass. They explained what was happening to me, as their father had explained it to them (he is truly so much better at science than I!) Or, how if you put the candle on the tablecloth, lit it and put the overturned glass over it, the air pressure would make the tablecloth rise (puff up) inside the glass. Cool stuff.
Then, they presented me with a gift. It was all wrapped "up in ribbons and bows"*. Jason said it was in appreciation for all of my hard work. It was the new re-release of "Darkness on the Edge of Town" my absolute FAVORITE album of ALL TIME! The music on that album never fails to reduce me to tears and it is the reason that I love Bruce Springsteen so much. The re-release contains not only a remastered CD and another CD of previously unreleased songs from that era, songs that Bruce writes are "about growing up in small New Jersey towns" (hello, my life!!!) but it also contains DVDs of the making of the album, DVDs of concert footage and what is perhaps the best part, the notebook that Bruce used to write the songs... this shows his creative process and it is FASCINATING. I am crying just writing this post.
I am so truly thankful to have a husband who goes above and beyond, who makes everything possible, who has weathered the storms, who has stuck by my side and who shows his appreciation. I only hope that he knows just how much I love and appreciate him. I love you, Jason. Truly, madly, deeply.
Trying different beer from smaller breweries is something we enjoy together. |
*reference to a Springsteen song.