my husband...

At the risk of making myself seem extrememly high maintenance, I need to document how dear my husband is. Yesterday was a tired/lazy day for me. I'd like to attribute it all to the fact that I'm 35 weeks pregnant...so I will. Anyhow, the whole day was a reminder of how blessed I am. Blessed that I ever found Dave. I slept until the very last possible second, until I HAD to get up and do kids hair before school. All the while, I can hear him shushing the kids so I can have quiet. He doesn't leave the house without kisses for all and ALMOST always a family prayer. I am so thankful for that.

I needed something at the store for a church activity in the afternoon. I knew that going to the store would entail dressing myself and Molly (total battle of wills...every day), getting her to the car, getting her in and out of the store...all for 3 items. I know, half of you are rolling your eyes right now, but it sounded exhausting to me. SO, I called Dave. He works a few minutes from the store. I asked if he would be willing to meet me there, in the parking lot, and go grab the stuff I needed. He said sure. That's the thing. He never rolls his eyes at me. He never says, "Let me think about it." He never says no. I'm not a slave driver. I'm really not. But I ask him to do too much. Anyhow, yesterday, he knew I was tired, and he knew he could help.

I was at the church for Activity Days when he got home from work. I had nothing planned for dinner. If I don't have a menu typed up, dinner is interesting. I don't get to it. He had dinner mixed and going into the oven by the time I got home. He can take a look around the kitchen, find some hashbrowns, frozen ham from Christmas, bread crumbs, cheese, and put together a fantastic casserole. One that even the kids loved. I'm sure that you are SO sick of hearing me say this, but I was so tired after church. I had stood the whole time, so my lower back was really sore, I was crampy. I couldn't thank him enough for getting this wonderful dinner together, never ONCE asking why I had nothing planned. He just doesn't do that. He doesn't come home and ask where his supper is, why the laundry isn't done, why I haven't showered? There are conventional roles for men and women, but I don't think Dave cares about them.

By 8:30, the kids were headed to bed after watching Idol. They had showered, we had done hair, cleaned up the kitchen and the living room, and now we were waiting for Daddy to get home from his activity at the church. My older 3 will put themselves to bed. Easy breezy. Molly though needs her teeth brushed, potty, rocking and songs. Rocking doesn't go too well for us anymore since I have no lap. I didn't have the energy to lift that child, have a power struggle with her about going to bed. Dave walked in just before 9, changed his clothes, took Molly to the bathroom, rocked her and got her to sleep. Without getting frustrated with me that it wasn't done.

Dave is just a peaceful, selfless person. I'm sure he got a lot of that from his parents and from growing up with 12 siblings. He fell in the middle, and probably learned that arguing and fighting weren't going to get him very far. That, and he loves me. He loves his kids. I think we are what his life is about. Taking care of us. I knew when I met him that he was gentle and kind. A provider. I would watch him with our little handicapped clients and think...I need this person in my life. He was patient with them. Non-confrontational. The picture at the top of this entry says it all about Dave. He is a father...the best father. He's taking care of fiesty little Molly, he's carrying my camera bag so I can run around and snap pictures, he's wearing white with tan so we can all match. I really have been so richly blessed. I love you Davey.