The Man I Married...

I recently read some articles covering the topics of change, love, relationships, and parenting. A common denominator in all of the articles is that time and experiences help transform the persons that we become in those areas of life.

As I was doing the dishes, picking up teething toys, separating bottle parts, pinching my husband as we cross paths during our “speed cleaning” that we often call it, I reflected on how much we have grown and changed since we have been together.

That’s bound to happen when you met in high school and professed your love for one another at the age of sixteen.

When we were sixteen, we snuck phone calls to each other when my dad went to work on third shift. We worked around forty hours a week at crumby jobs that only sixteen-year-old kids would take. Those pay checks were used to pay for our cars, which led us all over Woodlawn Road on the weekends. We went to some of the best rock and metal shows during that time. We passed notes in class, snuck a kiss in the hallway before going to the next, and never stopped holding hands despite how many teachers told us to, “watch it.” We showed our theatrical side with hormonal, ongoing, dramatic fights that everyone knew about, and then some. We did the infamous switch during the homecoming dance because I couldn’t stand the fact that I wasn’t dancing with the king and he wasn’t dancing with the senior attendant. (The queen is still a very close friend of mine today.) My sweetheart felt the same way, making me feel like the queen, because in his eyes...I was.

Our only care in the world was work, managing the few financial obligations that we had, going to the next party, friends, and being together.

We thought we were something. We knew we were in love. I knew we were something, and I knew there was something about us that just worked and I never wanted to lose it. Even though we fought like cats and dogs, we loved and played like no one else. I knew then that I wanted to marry Nick. I could have given hundreds of reasons why even then.

After nine years together, I married my high-school sweetheart for reasons that I would have never known back in high school.

I always knew Nick was a good man and would be a fantastic husband and one-day father, but I had more purposes than I could have asked for to tie the knot on that beautiful fall day.

Now over eleven years together, and over two years since our wedding, I feel even more blessed to say not why I married Nick, but whom I married. His actions speak louder than his words and I am honored to be the wife of the man that tells me so much:

-I married a man who gave me a Promise Ring as a teenager, and has kept his promise. He reinforced his promise in front of our family, friends, and God on our wedding day. I married a faithful man.

- I married a man who manages our finances, paying all of our bills on time and foresees our finances and tries his best to keep things smooth.

- I married a man who texts me, “Here. I love you!” to let me know that he made it to work safely every morning, after he has already told me that he loves me and to have a good day before he left.

- I married a man who has never called me a name in the eleven years that we have been together.

- I married a man who always offers me the last of something before taking it.

- I married a man who has some of the best work ethic I have ever seen.

- I married a man who stood by my grandma’s side when she was dying and I was away at camp in Minnesota.

- I married a man who surprised me with a trip home from Tennessee during college. He drove a rickety truck without AC in the heat just to spend a couple days with me.

- I married a man who has never disrespected my parents no matter how much he may have disagreed with them.

- I married a man who stood up for me when I needed him most in high school when I went through family problems. He still continues to stand up for me.

- I married a man who has paid for my dinners since we were sixteen.

- I married a man who introduced me to fishing and has allowed me to be his best fishing partner.

- I married a man who makes sure the car is warm; the driveway is shoveled, and sidewalks are salted in the winter.

- I married a man who helps me set up my classroom each summer. He also helps me grade papers when I beg and whine.

- I married a man who brings me candy from the gas station with every trip.

- I married a man who treats his mother wonderfully.

- I married a man who enjoys the simple things in life, like fishing, hunting, outdoors, and grilling.

- I married a man who never made me feel like it was my fault for our infertility battle, even though it was my body that was failing for almost two years. I married a man who held my hand during tests, acupuncture, and painful procedures, swallowed his pride during his portion of fertility testing, and tolerated my mood swings during treatments. I married a man who cried with me when I miscarried our first miracle. I married a man who danced the night away with me to ease the pain of losing our dream. I married a man who never gave up no matter how hard it became. I married the man who held my hand every step of the way. I married the man who stood with me from the moment we heard our second miracle’s beating heart until our sweet Gavin was in our arms.

- I married the man who did laundry for nine months to avoid having me go up and down stairs during my pregnancy.

- I married a man who takes me on dates.

- I married a man who enjoys trying new foods with me.

-  I married a man who listens to me when I talk about my day.

- I married a man who works twenty hours or more of overtime a week so that he can provide for his family.

- I married a man who reads a book to his son with me every night.

- I married a man who takes baths with our son.

- I married a man who does the dishes, folds the laundry, cooks dinner, changes diapers, and vacuums the house.

- I married a man who kisses his son and wife and says, “I love you” before he leaves anywhere.

- I married a man who takes the trash out every time it’s time to go out.

- I married a man who makes responsible financial decisions to benefit his family.

- I married a man who values good friendships.

- I married a man who kisses his son on the lips and will continue to do it for as long as he can.

- I married a man who cried as his wife was taken in for an emergency C-section because he was scared for her life.

- I married a man who took care of me in ways that he probably never thought about after my C-section.

- I married a man who has no problem picking up feminine and fertility products from the store.

- I married a man who can fix anything. It may take him a while, a few curse words, but he’ll figure it out.

- I married a man who can make me laugh and smile, even on the darkest days.

- I married a man with a big heart.

- I married a man who would give the shirt off of his back to someone if they needed it.

- I married a man who puts his family first.

- I married a man who is more patient, smarter, levelheaded, stronger, and braver than he thinks or gives himself credit for.

- I married a man who is wise beyond his years.

- I married a man I hope our son follows by example.

- I married a man who became an amazing father and I don’t think he could ever fail in this role.

- I married a man who makes me completely happy and feel so loved.

Even though I have known Nick since the early age of sixteen, I could have never imagined the magnitude of the man he is today.

I married a man I can genuinely call my very best friend.

Thank you for all you do for us love.

I love you.

- Your Grateful Wife