An in between day

Its eleven thirty on Saturday night and I am typing on my laptop in bed. The blue glow of the computer is lighting up the room and there is the noise of my typing along with my other favorite noises, the dog sleeping next to our bed running in his sleep, and Phil sleeping next to me, I can hear his steady breathing as he sleeps. In the silence there is a peace and love that I feel. I am grateful for this in between day.

Today we went to a family friends beautiful wedding. When the pastor was talking he said something to the bride and groom about this being a huge day for them, which it was, but that it is the other days, the in between the big days that make up a marriage. While there are days that seem more important it is in the everyday little things that matter. Isn’t this true? Everyday is not your wedding day, everyday is not filled with glamour and pictures, most days are just filled with life and where that leads us. Wedding days are very special, but the more special thing is the commitment you are making.

This weekend we both got off work early on Friday and decided this was the time to finish the bathroom remodel, as we walked through Home Depot I found love. As we worked together to tile the floor we laughed, we smiled, we loved. When we crashed into bed after that last tile was laid, I found security and rest. After the wedding both Phil and I were feeling a little bit under the weather so we came home, put on our comfy sweats and snuggled up on the couch and watched a movie. Tonight as I lay snuggled in my bed I am thankful, I am thankful for all that God has blessed me with, I am thankful for a home to live in, I am thankful for a husbands cold feet I can warm up, I am thankful for the tools on our bed room floor that signify great progress, I am thankful for today. These are the in between days.

I love you.

You are my best friend.

Today I give myself to you in marriage.

I promise to encourage and inspire you,

to laugh with you, and to comfort you in

times of sorrow and struggle.

I promise to love you in good times and in

bad, when life seems easy and when it

seems hard, when our love is simple,

and when it is an effort.

I promise to cherish you, and to always

hold you in highest regard.

These things I give to you today,

and all the days of our life

Parenthood… or something like it

I sit here at my computer half awake feeling like I understand what it is like to be a parent… if you are thinking I am going to share something, sorry… not today. However both Phil and I agreed we have now experienced what it is like to not sleep during the night while you take care of something or someone!

Last night we had the first thunderstorm of the season. It started about two in the morning and lasted until I got up for work at six thirty this morning. I normally love storms, there is nothing as cozy as snuggled in bed hearing the earth get much needed rain and knowing things will start to turn green as a result. However last night this just was not the case! You see we have a dog… a dog that typically sleeps through the night and does not bother us… this really is the way we prefer it! However, much like a child, he did not like the storm, not ONE bit!

At about 2:15am when the storm started he freaked out, for the next THREE hours he proceeded to run circles around our bed, crying, whimpering, and panting OH SO LOUD! Both Phil and I kept on getting out of bed to calm him down, he would for about a minute and then start freaking out again. Normally I would just try and ignore it, but he was so loud and so persistent there was just no sleeping happening. After this went on for way to long there was an especially loud thunder clap that sent him jumping up onto our bed to be close to us. I figured this would maybe clam him down so we let him stay. After close to an hour more of him being scared, he finally settled down right between us and slept.

Though now both Phil and the dog were sleeping, being on a queen bed left almost no room for me, so I proceeded to stay awake until my alarm went off. (Have I mentioned that our dog is a 107 pound lab? Yeah, he is almost as long as I am!)

Is having kids something like this? If so, I think I need to get a bigger bed!! As I left this morning, my two boys were still sleeping oh so peacefully on the bed, PD had officially taken over my side and was looking quite proud of himself… I wonder if secretly he “pretended” to be scared just so he could get up on the bed  :)

Just as I finished typing… it started to thunder again… poor dog…. Poor Phil who is at home with him!
 

Have I told you about my Husband?

Ever since Phil and I got married two and a half years ago, (I honestly cannot believe that much time has passed) Phil has continually astounded me with how loving and self-less he is. Everyday I am challenged by him to care more and to put my own desires away.

The last week or so he has, on a few different occasions, made me snuggle up on the couch while he cleans the kitchen and makes us dinner. Or I complain about my phone, so he offers to switch with me, or he knowing the house needs to be cleaned does not hesitate in helping, but even more does the things he knows I hate, like vacuuming or cleaning the stove.

I have asked him why he is so kind, he always responds the same, “Because I love you.” It makes me melt to hear him say that. I am challenged by him to love more, to think about his needs above my own, because I love him and want to serve him in the same way. For Phil, it seems almost second nature for him to be so selfless, for me it is another story!

These past few months have been a challenge for Phil, I know he has been frustrated about jobs and wanting to take care of me the best he can. But even through these hard times I see him becoming more and more like Christ. I respect him so much for how hard he has worked even in jobs he does not enjoy, and still comes home willing to serve me.

Over this last weekend we were both serving at Church, and I was in a conversation where someone asked our head pastor (Bob Merrit) what he would have changed or done differently as a twenty-five year old. After thinking about it, he said no matter what, to learn to love his wife better, to not let the spark die, to serve each other. He then said, “You guys, I am living the dream, I am married to my best friend celebrating twenty-five years of marriage because of the hard work we put in back then.” This is what I want to do, this is what Phil is doing.

So have I told you about my husband? He is amazing, I am so thankful for him! I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with him.