ode to my husband.

i just have to say a few words to my husband for a minute, so bear with me...or roll your eyes at this mushy stuff and continue your web-surfing.  either way, i would feel extremely ungrateful if i didn't write down my thoughts today.  for those of you who know my hubby personally, you can attest to the kind nature of his heart.  i have never known anyone (except maybe his mother- which explains things) who always has a positive outlook and who tries as hard as he does to be a good, helpful and positive person.  This is not to say, he's perfect-(we've banned that way of thinking in our house) but in my eyes, he's pretty darn close.

still, we have our ups and downs and we fail to communicate well a lot of the time.  our journey together hasn't been the easiest path.  falling in love with him was.  that part was so easy that i panicked and avoided his courting efforts for a good month (or as he likes to refer to it, i snubbed him).  anyway, i fell hard for this strong, upright, do-gooder man and his outdoorsy/hippie ways.  he had perspective, real life understanding and morals.  plus, he was tall, scruffy and super handsome.  wait, how many years had i been looking for this kind of dude?  a lot.  so, that was that and it was a no brainer.  that was almost 3 years ago.

yesterday, after a frustrating morning with our teething/tantruming one-year old, i became overwhelmed with the massive amounts of homework i had yet to complete and all of the little mental to do lists i had stashed away in the back of my mind.  I just couldn't compartmentalize all of it any longer, couldn't keep it all organized and it felt as if i was losing control of just about everything.  please tell me i'm not the only person who has these meltdowns!

the point... on his way home from school, chad brought home the ice cream i had been craving for days (without being asked).  he fed our son his dinner, bathed and put him to bed, cleaned the kitchen, sat with me at the kitchen table as i completed my homework and then proceeded to help me make a physical list of tasks that i had for myself.  he hung shelves, finished putting the infant car seat together for new baby's arrival, picked up the front room, fixed the printer that never works (because i needed it), and may have found a little time for his own homework.  he did all of these things while feeding me positive remarks about how i'm a great mom, how beautiful i am and how i'm not fat...just really pregnant.

i could not ask for a better team mate or a better supporter through these rough changes we've been experiencing.  and i just had to write it down, so that tomorrow, when the 35 week pregnant hormones are raging, and the baby is crying, dinner isn't made and my homework isn't done- i will still remember how much i love and appreciate this man and his selfless giving.  bless his heart.  i love you, chad.

photo credit: Lydia Gravis.