My Husband

Warning… Sappy Post Ahead!

I must just take a few moments to gloat about my husband. This man, this wonderful, wonderful man who completes me in every way. Let’s start from the beginning…Ross & I met online. Go ahead, judge. I do! But, there was something great working there. A higher power that told Ross to email me. We chatted, made phone calls and sent texts. Then decided to meet on a Saturday in April. Well that Friday night I went out with some friends who all had their significant others with. I was lonely. I called Ross at about 10:30 p.m. and said, “Why don’t you come tonight!?” I might have had a few adult beverages at this point… but that’s neither here nor there. He said ok, jumped in his car to make the hour long trip and was at the bar at midnight. After coming in and meeting all my friends (and my friends giving me the “Ok, he doesn’t seem like a killer & we’ll be calling you in the morning” go-ahead) we headed to my place to get to know each other better. Ross had already worked a 16 hour work day that day (I didn’t know this until later) and remember those beverages I talked about… We ended up falling asleep on my bed, on top of the blankets, fully clothed, NOT TOUCHING AT ALL. The next morning we went out to breakfast. Then Ross headed home (hour drive) to get some things done and get ready for our “scheduled” date that night (another hour drive). He came back and on our way to dinner he asked if I wanted to meet his brother. So we did… first official date and I was meeting his family. Then we went to dinner and back to my place to hang out a bit. I was pretty convinced that he was going to tell me he loved me at any moment. I was worried that he was a hill-billy redneck and we would run out of this to talk about within the next two dates. So after he left that night, I sent him the dreaded “let’s stay friends” email. His reply “let’s not, have a nice life.”
So a couple days later I went on a date with a guy I thought would be perfect. He was not. In fact he was a big jerk. When the dinner bill came he asked, “So are we going to split this?” By no means do I think the guy should pay for everything, but on the first date, I’m a little old fashioned, especially when HE did the asking…

So that night, I realized, I had turned away a perfectly good, in fact super sweet and kind guy who really liked me and was very respectful towards me for no good reason. I emailed him to see if he wanted to try again

…He was at my house the next day. And I’ve seen him nearly everyday since.

 

We were engaged in June and married exactly one year and one week after the day we first met in person. It is now just over three years from that day.

We now have two beautiful children and work everyday to make our house a home.

Ross grew up in a small town, he never had much opportunity to see the world. Yet he has a great grasp on worldly concepts and continues to grow and be challenged by all things around him. He is open minded. He researches things he doesn’t understand. He takes others’ point of view into consideration.

He works harder then anyone I know to provide the best life possible for his family. He constantly is thinking of the needs of others, putting them before himself. He wants to do the best he can for the company he works for. He wants to care for his dad and for my parents. He loves being involved in the lives our our siblings and nieces and nephews. He willingly gives up the day he wanted to spend working in the garage to go have dinner with my parents, or go to his dads for lunch. He values family greatly. No matter how annoying they may be, family is family and that is important.Ross never went to church growing up. For me, having an active faith was a deal breaker. Without hesitation we began going to church together. He has become active in leading our youth group and teaching Sunday school. He brings children to worship. He sings and prayers and does his best to keep our children in worship for the whole time, not allowing their poor behavior be an excuse to leave. He wants our children to be raised in a Godly home. He has found a home in our congregation and continues to learn and grow in Christ.

Ross gives into my silly wants. He let me get our mini horses, which at this point are completely useless pets! He let me get chickens and far too many dogs for any family. He cares for our pets, our animals and the animals on our farm with great diligence. Animals need to be fed everyday… this takes work sometimes. Ross does a great job.

Ross allows me to have decorating ideas for our home and makes the changes I demand (sometimes more forcefully then needed). He is extremely handy. He has completely redone (electrical and plumbing included) our bath room and another room in our home. He has installed a dishwasher and new flooring. He is about to make our vehicles continue to run no matter the issue. He keeps our basement free of water and hangs clothes on the line. He does dishes on Saturday mornings while I sleep in.

There isn’t a job our children require that Ross doesn’t do. He gets up in the night, a lot.He washes clothes covered in pudding and snot. He gives baths. When we were cloth diapering, he washed out diapers and made sure they were laundered properly. He spends time with his kids, taking them into the garage or out on the tractor. He cooks dinner and reads books and tucks them in. He gets them dressed (and sometimes they match). He loves them more than anything in the world and they adore their father.

He dreams with me. We talking about what we would do if we won a million dollars and how we’re going to pay all the bills and buy diapers this month. He thinks outside the box with me about how we can provide the best for our children and still live lives that we want. He has supported me though finishing my degree and working at a job that had a significant drive everyday. He put up with being a terrible pregnant lady who was constantly sick, had no energy and wasn’t much fun for nine months straight. He comes and has lunch with me and brings me flowers just because. He writes me notes and sends me texts just to tell me he’s thinking about me and that he loves me. He pulls me into the kitchen, away from the kids to kiss me.

To say I love this man is not strong enough. Ross knows how to make me smile on my darkest days. He knows when to listen to me and when I need to be talked to. He hears what I say. He makes me laugh like no other. He holds me tight. He is my best friend.

            

He loves me deeper than I ever thought possible. He is how I define myself. He is the strength in my weakness. He puts up with my craziness, weirdness, laziness, messiness, sadness, moodiness, and strangeness.

He gave me the two great gifts, our children. He allows me be to a broken mother, picking up the pieces when they fall. He uplifts me to be better. He keeps me moving forward. He is my reason to wake and my comfort to fall asleep each night.

My husband may not be the perfect human being, but he is perfect for me. Our love is one that will outlast the sun and stars. It’s not always easy, but it’s ours.

I love you with all my liver, my Roni! Forever and for always.

But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.
 -Ruth 1:16

Happy Harvesting,

Leah