As I talk on the phone, check my email, watch TV, read books and magazine articles, I’m more and more convinced that I have the best husband in the whole world. He is the hardest working man I know. He wears so many different hats. I don’t even know how he keeps up…well, yeah I do, its called ME, his personal day planner and reminder. 
But all joking aside, he’s quite an amazing man. He gets up early to make chocolate milk for the boys, while letting me sleep just a few more minutes, knowing I was up a few times with the baby through the night. He gives all four of us kisses ‘good-bye’, but not before grabbing two bags of trash to take outside when he leaves work. He calls me at lunch to see how my day is going and to check on the kids. While at work, he’s patient and kind; always a good friend. On occasion, he has to leave work early so he can get to church in time to lead worship. Afterwards, I have countless people approach me to tell me how much of an annointing my husband has for leading the congregation in the most intimate time of worship. I always agree, knowing that is what he’s called to do. In the evenings, he comes home from work and we have dinner as a family. He helps me do dishes, or at least brings them all to the sink or dishwasher. He helps me give the boys a bath and brushes their teeth. Once, I asked him to put the boys in bed while I took care of the baby, and when I went to kiss the boys goodnight, they were all three on the floor playing “Rescue Heros.” How could I complain; he was spending quality time with the boys, and they would never forget that. After all the boys are asleep, we sit together on the couch and watch our favorite shows before calling it a night. He sits and listens to me as I tell him about my day. He thanks me for little things like cleaning the house, and having dinner ready when he gets home from work. I never feel unappreciated. If, in the middle of the night, Owen is crying and I have already fed him, Josh will get up and rock him back to sleep, allowing me to stay in bed. He loves our children wholeheartedly, and when I’m nine months pregnant and as big as a house, he tells me I’m still the most beautiful woman in the world.
But that is only part of what makes him so amazing. He is also a son, brother, and friend. Josh has a little problem with the word no. He NEVER uses it. Sometimes that bothers me, but most of the time, it just makes me appreciate how willing he is to help others. He’s quite a ‘handy man’ and will leave the house at the drop of a hat if someone calls and needs a strong back or a roof patched. He’s a prayer warrior and will stop what he’s doing to pray for you if you ask. He’s selfless, always asking the Lord to show him the way in which he is suppose to be leading our family. On top of all this, he’s a very talented and creative graphic designer. His work never ceases to amaze me and he’s often offering his services free of charge to friends and ministries who can’t afford to go the ‘normal’ route to developing a webpage.
After all is said and done, six o’clock comes and goes, church is over, the children are in bed, dishes have been done, and it’s just me and him, I smile and I thank God that he created Josh to be MY perfect help mate, friend, confidante, and love… did I mention that he’s HOT too! I’m a pretty lucky girl.
I’m sorry Josh, if this embarrassed you, but I want all the other wives out there to know that they’re wrong… I HAVE THE BEST HUSBAND IN THE WHOLE WORLD. I love you babe.
As the mother of three boys ages four, three, and an ever-so-innocent two months, there are quite a few phrases that I am forced to use on a daily basis. Some may include, “Because I said so, Be nice to your brother, Get your shoes on NOW, Don’t tell me NO, Do you want me to get the Hot Sauce?, I said GET IN BED!, Get your toys off the floor”…The list is almost endless. However, the phrase that I use most often would have to be:::drumroll please::: “BECAUSE YOU DIDN’T LISTEN!” Boys are hard wired, apparently, to defy the odds, rebel against nature (and gravity), and push every possible limit.
I had just put baby Owen down for a nap and I turned a movie on for Jesse. Inspector Gadget seems to be the movie of the week. I decided to sit down and check my email, bank account (*sigh*), and whatever else might peak my interest. However, before I could even settle into my chair, I could hear my three year old playing with the baby toys. It’s not a big deal, but I could also hear him jumping FROM the couch TO the baby toys. I told him to stop several times, never bothering to leave the office to check if he actually obeyed. Finally, about ten minutes later, I heard a loud whack against the living room wall. It wasn’t until I yelled his name that he began to cry about how he had hit his head and it was hurting. I believe this was the first time today that I was forced to say, “BECAUSE YOU DIDN’T LISTEN!” Usually, we haven’t even sat down for breakfast before those words cross my lips, but today was an exception.
Let me give a few more examples: Like when the boys are running laps through the house and I tell them to stop, but they don’t listen and my plants end up sideways on the floor with potting soil from the front door to the kitchen!; or when they’re in the bathtub and I tell them not to splash too much because the floor will get soaked, but they don’t listen, and I walk in and bust my butt on the SOAKED floor!; or when I tell them to stop pulling eachother around the house on a blanket, but they don’t listen, and Joshua slams his face into a stone fireplace (at someone else’s house), or when my mom would tell me that I needed to buckle Jesse into the stroller when he was a baby, but I didn’t listen, and we ended up in the after hours clinic because Jesse fell out of the stroller and landed on his head at the mall (OOPS!). Yeah, kids don’t understand that most of the things we are trying to protect them from, are things that we already have scars from! Oh well, one day they’ll learn, and until then, we’re becoming well aquainted with the ER nurses and the social workers from Family and Children’s Services (just kidding!). Oh the joys of boys!
I am so glad tomorrow is Friday. Did I mention it was only 87 degrees at 11am this morning! Usually it’s 105 by then! Must be a cool front rolling in. My children are going to die from lack of fresh air if it doesn’t cool off enough for us to go to the park a few times a week. Not to mention my sanity! One whole month of 110 degree heat and being cooped up inside with three kids; I need a seriously large martini… oh wait, the electric bill is almost $300…I guess that martini is just not in the budget, but we DO have some Nyquil (just kidding!).