What is love? (A post about my husband)

Disclaimer: This post is ALL about my husband.  I write about our children a lot, and the activities we do, or the things that I make.  I do not post about my husband a lot and figured it was about time to BRAG on him. (I wish I had a picture to put on here!)

Without chaos in the house, it has really given me time to see my husband as who he is. Who he REALLY is!  I love my husband, and have always appreciated him.  Amongst the chaos of every day life with 3(now 4) children, he often gets lost.  Not is a bad way.  He is still my partner, and the love of my life.  But with everyone needing something from me.  Sometimes he gets lost in that mess.  I am not proud that he gets lost, but life happens, and around here life happens very fast.  Life is often spoken in short sentences as we run off to chase the 1 year old up the stairs to ensure she doesn't fall, or stop mid sentence because there is a fight of a car or a barn animal in the next room.  We have had none of that this week.  We only have a tiny baby who needs snuggles, food, and the occasional diaper change.

So what is love?  I will let my husband tell you, because he says it best-by never saying a thing! These are just a few of the small ways this past week he has shown me that he loves me!

Love is...Coming into the OR with me while they cut out baby #4. (he hates blood, guts, anything like that.) I always feel for him this is him stepping outside of his comfort zone-yes he gets to see his baby-but he also has to sit there knowing his wife is being sliced open on the other side of the curtain, and that freaks him out a bit! BUT he does it! With a huge smile on his face, and holding my hand the whole time.  Softly whispering to me, and encouraging me.
After the surgery I can't move.  So he selflessly, gets up to get me the baby every time he needs to eat.  He changes every diaper, without complaint.  He laughs and jokes with me.  He lets me rest when I look weary, while he stays awake so he can hold and love on the baby! He then tells me at 7pm "man I'm tired and I don't know why? Having a baby is hard work you know? HAHA, I didn't do anything, why am I tired?" Honey you are tired because you just took care of two people all day because I couldn't move!  You have every right to be tired, having a baby is hard work-probably harder work for you, than it was more for me-since I just had to lay there all day! Meanwhile you got up to every little peep either of us made!
He goes back to work the day after baby is born, that way we don't miss out on a paycheck.  That is a hard worker right there! I am proud that he supports our family no matter what, and makes the most of his time!  After work he goes home to shower, have a quick bite to eat, and is back up at the hospital with us.  Making sure our every need is met.  Loving on his new little baby, and always asking what he can do for me! When the Dr. asked when I wanted to go home Wednesday or Thursday.  Greg said Wednesday.  He knows this will mean more work for him-but he wants us home, and he wants to love on us some more!  He is beyond amazing.

Now we are home! What is love?  My husband will show me again what it means to truly love someone no matter what.
Love is...taking us home a night early, knowing it means more work for him! Now there is no one to help us except him, and he does it with a huge smile on his face! Love is helping me into bed, now I'm here and I'm stuck. So what does he do.  He helps me right back out!  He goes and gets the recliner from the other room and single handedly moves it into our room(this is a BIG chair folks). All with a smile, so I can sleep by his side! He puts a blanket over the chair, and gets another to cover me up with, he brings me a pillow and my rice bag to help ease any pain!  He then helps me get settled into it, and then he reclines it for me(I have no abs people, so he literally has to recline the chair for me, while I sit in the seat!). He is doing this at almost midnight-he has to be up for work the next morning.  BUT he wanted to ensure I could sleep well, and that I didn't have to sleep in a separate room.  THAT is LOVE people.  Selfless love! The baby didn't want to sleep in the crib, so he brought him to me(since I can't move) and I snuggled the baby all night in the recliner. Greg THAN wakes up every 2-3 hrs to make sure I get my medicine, and helps me out of the chair so I can get up and pee.  And every time asks, what else can I do? Never mind the fact that his sleep is interrupted, or that he has to work in the morning, he still cares about what else he can do for me, and our new little one! Selfless love!
Morning is here...what is love? Love is getting up extra early, so you can move everything your wife and child need for the day upstairs.  The boppy, the clothes, the baby swing(just in case baby doesn't like the crib), the rice bag, the medicine, the water jug, the computer, and anything else I may need.  He gets the diapers out of the closet and he puts everything next to the couch so if I don't want to move all day long, I don't have to!  My husband is LOVE.
He does it all and there is never a complaint.  He LOVES me, and I have no doubt.  I'm glad that I got the time to truly see all of the sacrifices that he makes for us. And people this is not a list of every little thing he does, this barely scratches the surface.
Thank you so much Greg for loving me!  For showing me what it means to love someone.  To follow the scripture, and to be a leader in our home.  To show your wife and your children by example what it means to selflessly love someone. You are not a man of many words-BUT your ACTIONS are great, and if we take the time to watch you, we will know we are loved! (I know you tell me all the time too, but your ACTIONS speak for you!)  I pray daily that our sons will watch, and learn from you.  So that one day they too will treat their wives as you have treated me! That they will selflessly love their families, as you do for yours.  That they will be great spiritual leaders for their families, as you are for ours.  I pray that our daughter will look up to you, and realize they will not accept anything less than the example you have set forth for them.  That they will hold to that high standard.  I thank you for showing them that men are capable of being great, and for showing them what a man should do when he loves you.  You are a wonderful example for all of our children.  You are a calm, quiet, patient man, who loves us not only in word, but in action!  Thank you for choosing me to be your wife.  God has blessed me more than I could have ever imagined, by saving you for me!  I love you my dear, and thank you for everything you have done not just in the past couple days, but for all you have done in the past 6 years of our marriage.  You are all mine, and are stuck with me forever! I LOVE YOU!
  Ephesians 5: 25 "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her" (this is the verse I think of when I think of my husband and his love for me)
Side note: Thank you also to my wonderful in-laws.  I know you raised him up to be a man of Christ, and he wouldn't be where he is today without the wonderful example of Christ and HIS love on your family.  You have raised a wonderful young man, and I am blessed to call him my husband.  I am forever grateful for the training and discipleship that you have given to him, and that you continue to give him. Thank you!

Baby #4

9 short months(yes I said short!) of pregnancy, 19lbs gained, a ton of energy burned, and 1 scheduled C-section later our baby is here! Noah Thomas, 8 lbs 15 oz and 21 inches long.

Baby Noah Thomas!  You are PERFECT! Perfect in every way imaginable! How could you not be? You are a wonderful gift from God! A true blessing to our family!

 Psalms 139:13 "For you created my inmost being, you knit me together in my mother's womb."

I cannot believe that God would count us so blessed to add you to our ever growing family. Daddy and I are head over heels in love with you.  You have stolen our hearts with your little squeaks and funny faces! Daddy and I have been loving on you every second since you arrived.  This is your week to get truly loved on! For this week only it is just Mommy, Daddy, and you.  We are having amazing quality time getting to know you, and all your little noises(and you do make a lot of noises).

What we have learned about you so far:

• You are much bigger than we expected, we were guessing you were around 7lbs, man did you surprise us!
• You make quite a bit of noise-not bad noise, just little grunts, groans, and squeaks.  ALL of which are adorable beyond belief
• You are content. 
• You love to snuggle up close to mommy and daddy
• You are a good eater!
• You don't cry! You kind of squeak, and grunt when you need something.
• You are a good baby, take that back a GREAT baby!

I know there is much more that could be said about you, and what you have added to our lives in just your short time here! And I'm sure I will write more in the days to come!

We cannot wait for your siblings to be able to meet you in person.  You did get to skype with them(although you slept through it!), and they thought you were sooo tiny, and sweet!  Your big brother is so excited to meet you, and hold you.  He sang songs to you, and played with you every day while you were in my belly.  He couldn't be more excited about having YOU as his little brother!

We should get to go home on Wednesday evening, and then you will get to meet your doggy.  He loves babies, and is sure to shower you in kisses when we walk in the door.  I can't wait to see your reaction to that.  All your siblings love the dog, and loved even those first kisses! You will also get to meet the cats-although to be honest they don't really care about babies too much.  They like them when they can't move-so they will LOVE you. BUT as soon as you are mobile, you can forget about it.  Since that usually means you will try and pull their tails, and chase them around the basement.

We have so much going on in our lives right now, that we are blessed that you arrived safely, and are doing so well.  Mommy and Daddy have really enjoyed the down time we are able to have with you.

We LOVE you sweet boy!