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!

Belated Birthday!

My wonderful husband's birthday was on Monday.  He turned a whole 26 years old. 

To celebrate, I got to take the night off work.  We had a wonderful BBQ pork lunch, a steak dinner, and then we had some wonderful people come and watch our children so we could go and see a movie.  What made it even better?  We only saw the movie with 1 other person!! Talk about an extra special date night, I will admit that is one of the perks of living in a small town.  How often do you get to see a movie with only 1 other person in the whole theatre? It was also a much needed break for the two of us to have a couple of hours with no children to worry about, and just spend some time together.

I think it was a good day.  I hope he enjoyed it, I know I really enjoyed getting to celebrate his life all day!

Thank you Greg for being the best man around.  You are such a wonderful encouragement to me daily and I thank God for you every day.  I couldn't have asked for Him to put a better man into my life.  And our children, well, they couldn't have gotten a better dad!  You are a wonderful gift!

Happy Belated Birthday!

Anniversary

Well today it has been 4 years since I said "I DO" to the man of my dreams.  I thought I would take some time to reflect on that time and just thank God for him, because (in my opinion) he is the best husband and father someone could ask for.

In the past 4 years we said "I do" 8-17-08

We moved to Kansas 8-25-08

We added another cat to the family 9-16-08.

You graduated college 5-24-09!

We bought our first house 11-29-09!

We added a dog to our family 3-26-10.

We had baby #1 on 1-24-11!

 We had baby #2 on 4-6-12!

We have done countless other things, gone home for vacation, gone on camping trips with a bunch of crazy college guys(that was fun!!), worked long hours, spent quiet evenings in playing board games and watching movies.  Found a favorite restaurant in town(Courtyard), spend Saturdays being lazy together.  We have had the joy of watching our little ones and all their firsts! We have the joy of being parents. We have gotten to encourage each other and watch each grow.  We have had the privilege of growing up together, so we can sit and reminisce about our upbringing and all the fun times we had together!

I just want to thank you Greg for...
 making the last 4 years the most wonderful of my life
2 wonderful children
being godly leader in our home
being my quiet listener
standing beside me through the hard times
rubbing my back, even when you are so exhausted you can barely stay awake
leading our family in worship and Bible reading
teaching our children how to obey
teaching our children how to play, learn, and love
letting me have a dog and 2 cats because I'm animal crazy
being so patient, with both the children and I
always being there
being my husband
loving me no matter what
helping out
encouraging me
being grateful for what I cook, even when it is a failed attempt
always smiling
working so hard-at times 2 jobs to help pay the bills
loving us all
always taking my opinion into consideration
praying with me
being with me
bringing me flowers for no reason
teaching Eli how to treat women and others
showing your daughter how a real man should act(you're a wonderful example)

There is so much more I could thank you for.  Thank you for being my wonderful other half!  God couldn't have picked a better soul mate for me.

I love you Gregory!  Happy 4 year anniversary!