He’s the Best

I don’t often do this because it’s such a personal subject, but I have to gush about my husband. He works so hard to take care of this family. He works full time and goes to school some evenings to work on his graduate degree. Even with all that, he is completely involved in home life. He helps with dinner, plays with his kids, does dishes and house chores, and always helps get the kids to bed.

As I was leaving to go to a baby shower last night, he told me something like, “Have a good time. If a friend of yours wants to go to a movie afterward, feel free.”

“Really?” I was a bit surprised. He’s always really encouraging of me going out and having fun with friends, but movies and other things aren’t always in the budget.

“Sure, do whatever. Just have a good time,” he replied.

This type of experience when I leave the house is nothing new (the movie invitation was an added twist), but I’m always rather amazed at him. Every time I get together with the gals, there’s at least one of them who is getting urgent texts from their husband saying, “You have no idea what your child just did!” Or someone else will get a call and have to excuse herself because her husband has hit his limit with the kids. Or as the evening gets later, someone will say she’d better leave or her husband will be mad, and she wants to stay in his good graces so she can leave him with the kids another time. These situations are and have always been so foreign to me, and I have to say, I get a little warm fuzzy every time it happens knowing that my husband’s main concern is that I enjoy myself.

I have been blessed with a husband who always encourages me to get out of the house and have a little “me time” when I get the chance. It’s not because he wants to get rid of me, and it’s not because he’s under my thumb. He just genuinely cares about me and realizes that I might feel cooped up after spending so much time home with the kids. I have never had to worry whether he would be willing to watch the kids so I could go somewhere; I only have to find out if he is available.

Grant has always been pretty comfortable as a dad. He isn’t helpless when I’m away, and he loves time with his kids. Even when problems arise while I’m gone, he works through it on his own. He’ll tell me about it when I get home, but he doesn’t feel the need to pull me away from what I’m doing to ask for help. He has even had to deal with some situations I certainly would not have enjoyed (and it’s highly likely that if the situation were reversed, I would have called him to tell him about it).

Today, Grant had to go to the community college graduation for work. Last weekend, he was away from us on Saturday because he was working on a paper for class. Believe me, I griped my fair share about not having him around for the second Saturday in a row. But this morning, I tried to pretend it wasn’t happening by not mentioning it or how I felt about it. I was trying to think of how easily he let me leave last night without a complaint even though the girls gave him trouble when he put them to bed. I wasn’t as saintly as him. I didn’t send him off with a big smile, telling him to take his time and enjoy himself. And still, as he was turning to go, he acknowledged the fact that I hadn’t complained about the situation. He let me know he appreciated my attitude when he knew it was difficult for me.

Sometimes I am just astounded by how unselfish and caring he can be, and I know I am a very lucky girl who will continue to strive to deserve this wonderful man who treats me so well.

That’s a lot more mushy than I tend to blog, but I warned you I was going to gush!