The Hardest Job

For those that have been following me, you know that I’m a mother of three wonderful and rambunctious kiddos. They are young, full of energy, and quite the handful. Being a parent is hard. Really hard. But that isn’t the hardest job. You see, while my kids are trying to my patience, my lifestyle, and my sanity in every way, I created them. They are literally a part of me. They are bonded to me in a way no one else can ever compare to. No matter what they or I do in life, we will always have that bond. I will always love them.

My hardest job is one I vowed to keep just over five years ago. A job I took with the promise of eternity. My hardest job is my marriage.

My husband and I were married 53 weeks after the day we met. We got engaged after knowing each other for 2 months. I was 17 weeks pregnant on our wedding day. I moved from my downtown, city apartment into his country home a hour away from my home and friends. We now have been married 5 years, have 3 kids, have bought our 86 acre farm along with all the livestock and machinery that go with it. My husband works an average of 55 hours a week at his job before getting home and running the farm. I have changed my job 6 times trying to find a fit and a place in a new community. The pressure has been real.

My husband and I, we bicker and argue. We have even had a few fights. I’ve gone to bed and woken up mad. I hate the way he can’t tell time. He frequently forgets to respond to my text messages and is always late in picking up the kids from daycare. He leaves his pop cans laying all over the house and he goes through more pairs of jeans then any person I’ve ever met. And that is just the start…

He and I, we love in very different ways. Which is something we are still working on figuring out. We aren’t always good at loving each other in way we need to be love. We love in the way we want, not in the way our spouse needs.

Not every marriage is perfect and sometime they need to end. But do you know what? In my world, it’s worth it. Every struggle. Every argument. Every hurt feeling is worth it. Not because either one of use deserves any of it, but because we work tirelessly to get better.

My husband and I, we love hard. We communicate and we listen. We forgive and we move on. I love the way he does the dishes and makes breakfast on Saturday mornings. I love the way he includes our kids in everything he does on our farm. I am so proud of how much he gives of himself to anyone in need. He gets up way to early and works late into the night to make sure our family is provided for and that we want for nothing. He supports all of my crazy ideas. He equips me the tools needed to provide proper self-care for myself. He picks up my pieces and holds me together. He gives me what I need to be a good care-giver, mother, friend, community member and woman.

I have truly been blessed to have a relationships to last a life time. I have a partner in life who gives me life. When I took on the job of “wife” I did so much more then sign a contract and make a promise. I made a vow. Some days this job is easy, full of laughter and happiness. Some days it’s dark and wearing. This is a job I choose every day. Nothing keeps me here but my love for this man. I choose to keep our hard days along with our good ones. I choose to stay in this job because it’s the most rewarding job I’ve ever had.

Happy Harvesting,

Leah