Mr. & Mrs.

So many of my blog posts are about my children and yet there is a very important person in my life that is not often talked about …

…maybe because we’re still learning at this marriage thing … probably because I feel like we still struggle with a lot of regular-every-day marital issues … perhaps it’s because I know I still have so much to learn at this whole wife-role … but I must say, I have such a good husband – he puts up with a lot, especially since he has a house {literally} full of girls. From learning to brush fine hair into lop-sided piggy tails to reading princess-bedtime stories over and over and having to be the muscles for everything around here, as well as the one and only man who will remove the dead mice from the mouse traps … he certainly has a big role to fill.

He must go from seeing the worst situations of death and dreadful disaster to coming home, slipping off his suit jacket and dress shoes to replace them with muddy gum boots and donning his country-clothes, stained with grass and grease.
Last week, when I texted him to let him know two of our ducks are actually drakes, he said, ” Finally!  Some guys in the family!”

But God knew what He was doing when he gave Abby six daughters to raise.
That was no accident. He’s the right man for the job.

And tonight, when I said “Hmmm …..let’s do a photo of the family!” he didn’t complain or say no as most men probably would on a verrrrrrry hot, muggy summer day, especially with a chore list so long it never seems to end…  I promised it would only take a few minutes … (I was pretty close) and that we would only steal him from his (humungous) task of building his extra-large wood shed for a bit … and he obliged.

Yes, indeed. I’m very thankful for this man in my life.
If anyone has ever read Created to be His Help Meet  (a good book all wives should read!), you’ll know what I mean when I say this guy is my Mr. Steady.
Reliable.
Safe.
Selfless.
Slow and steady.
Would help a complete stranger just because.
He makes a fabulous father for all girls … I’m pretty sure most men are not this patient.
He’s loving and kind and willing to give up so much for his family.

This whole parenting and marriage thing – it’s such a learning process. We may have been raised in Christian homes but that doesn’t mean an exact blueprint is laid out in front for us in every situation. Spiritual leadership, growth … it’s all different when you’re the parent and little eyes are watching you. When we first were married, I remember going to church alone with my baby because of Abby’s work schedule. Only in this past year has it changed because of my husband’s intentional decision -he can now join us for family worship – that has made such a huge difference in our lives.

But this journey means we’re learning. Yes, we have baggage. We still fight and argue, as we are humans. We struggle with selfishness and pride. But we have a wonderful God who will sustain us and give us answers when we do not know what to do or say.

We’re growing together. And with God’s grace, in time, I pray we leave a legacy for our daughters how a marriage may be blessed by God.