So, He Snores

This is for all the married women in my life who truly bless me everyday with their warmth and wisdom, for those of you who perhaps married really young and have stuck out some lean years (or started thinking soon after what in the world was I thinking) and of course to my beloved for all the good he brings to my life.

I was talking to a dear friend yesterday who was telling me about a woman she knows who made a snide remark about my friend's husband....I loved the way she was shocked at the woman's words and quite frankly wanted to go for her throat. Being the dignified Christian that my friend is she "just let it go" and vented to me...which I believe shows immense wisdom with the exception of me writing about it (of course I would never divulge sources). The woman wanted to get my friend into a conversation bashing her husband! My friend was having none of that. Good for her! and him!
Who of us is perfect? Why should we hold our husbands to a higher standard than we want to be judged ourselves?
I was twenty-two when MB and I tied the knot. I love to tell people I married a younger man...he had been twenty-one ten days. Yes, we were in the world's eyes too young. We had nothing...when we left for our honeymoon his brother stuck a wad of bills in his pocket, we used it for a run down hotel at the beach after we discovered the cottage we had borrowed had no water hooked up. We started our married life as college students with $3 between us. We were wealthy beyond imagination.If I had started compiling a list of things that "bugged" me about him then we wouldn't have lasted a year. To be fair, if he had done the same it would have lasted only a few months. I didn't see his flaws, or maybe I did, either way I was so in love with being in love it didn't matter.I had every reason to believe he was my Prince Charming and that is exactly how he's turned out.
I taught my girls to believe in their husbands...that is our highest calling, second only to God. I prayed for my beloved from the time I was about fifteen on, I have never had any reason to ask God if he was sure this guy was the one he had picked out for me. I can't say that he had a sign over his head that said "The One" but after a while I knew.
So, here's what I want to say...He snores. That's right, every night I listen to it for a few minutes thinking I can block it out then I can't. I shake him and ask him to turn over...he does and I can usually get to sleep because it's no longer in my ear. I started thinking about the fact that he snores and you know if I wanted to start my list now I could...he leaves his underwear in the bathroom floor every morning! just think!! The nerve of this guy leaving dirty underwear on the floor! I guess he means for me to pick it up! He also leaves his racquetball bag at the foot of the bed, sometimes in my middle of the night ventures to the bathroom I trip over it...I've considered waking him up and telling him HE nearly broke my neck. Let's face it, he can be a real pain! He slurps his coffee, watches football all day long on Saturday, ignores the kids fighting, etc...but,
what would I be without him?
I would not for one instant want to know. Because in spite of any little inconvenience or frustration he ever causes I love him.
He is so good.
I am thankful that he works so hard for our family. He teaches and owns a business and works at home to prepare for his classes and struggles with the money but does it all for his family. He doesn't even own his own vehicle. He drives my daddy's old Ford truck but never complains.
He listens to God.
He laughs at me.
He makes me laugh.
He is always the first to say he's sorry when we have a disagreement.
He prays with the girls at night.
He picks me daffodils every Valentines Day.
He brings me Snickers when he stops for gas, he loves them too but chocolate gives him headaches so this is a double sacrifice.
He hangs up his towel.
He doesn't mind doing the grocery shopping.
He will watch a good chick flick occasionally.
He tells me I'm beautiful.
He makes us all pancakes on Saturdays.
He likes to cook and is really good at it!
He appreciates little things I do for him (and lets me know it).
He tries to text even though it frustrates him.
He is an awesome example for our boys.
He helps with homework.
He gives even when he doesn't have anything left.
He doesn't complain about my housework or not having clean socks.
He doesn't complain about anything.
He is still quite the athlete...if you don't believe me play racquetball with him.
He has more patience than ANY man I have ever known...he has lived with four ADD family members without even a threat to harm any of us.
He always puts his change in the vacation jar.
He turns off lights all over the house every night
He reads all my stuff and is usually very complimentary.
He gives good hugs and even better kisses.
He can fix anything.
He can see something and build it.
He steps in and says "I'll get this" when he sees me struggling with something.
He makes us all feel safe.
He is not only my prince but the king at the end of the day and he walks through the door, all the kids, even the big ones are always glad to see him.
He is as solid as an oak, steady as the sun.
He never gets in a hurry about anything.
He is trustworthy, fair, thoughtful and honest.
He is really good at Scrabble.
He is creative and smart.
He never compared any of my cooking to his mothers.
He is the hands down best friend I ever had and I have some pretty good ones.
He has had to be my counselor/therapist countless times, couldn't have afforded him if he hadn't been in the family.
He loves to play.
He never takes credit for all the good he does.
These are not reasons I love him. That's an altogether more complicated matter but I do love these things about him and find much more satisfaction in listing them than coming up with flaws.
So, he snores...
He also has kept me warm at night for twenty-seven winters so I'm thinking I'll buy some earplugs and be happy with the gift that he is.