Love the One You're With

Did you ever think about how lucky you really are?

For many years, I took advantage of what I have all around me.  I have amazing friends, a wonderful, supportive family, amazingly beautiful children, and a husband who is my best friend.

This post is all about my husband.

Dave and I met in 2004. Like many new relationships, we were pretty much attached at the hip right from the beginning. I was 22, he was 29. I was living at home with my parents, he had his own place in the same neighborhood. At first, we went out here and there, but we talked on the phone everyday, and at night if I didn’t see him we would stay up and talk for hours on the phone. (A few times we talked over 6 hours)! Pretty shortly after we were dating, Dave asked me to live with him. Of course I said yes, I mean I was basically living there already! Less than a year later we got engaged, married the following year, and the rest is history.

We had our daughter very shortly after we got married. We didn’t have the “newlywed” phase that I always here about, we didn’t get to go on our 1 year anniversary honeymoon because I was 8 months pregnant, but you know what? I wouldn’t change anything.

For a while I was jealous of my friends that traveled, bought houses, went out anytime they felt like it, basically resentful just because they were acting like early 20 something’s and I was a wife and a Mom.  I became pretty depressed, and I hid it from everyone, including my husband. I learned that there comes a point where you just can’t keep depression or anxiety from your spouse. At some point, they are either going to figure it out, or they are going to think you are just nuts. I’m pretty sure Dave thought both! Once I learned how to cope, I realized that my life was pretty darn good.  I wasn’t jealous anymore, I was happy and content with my own life.

By no means am I saying my marriage is perfect or ideal! Trust me, we have had lots of up’s and loads of down’s, but our love has always stayed strong. Dave understands me, he knows I have my moments, (he has them too), and even through those moments, he still loves me. Sometimes I think about everything we have been through in the last 2 years, and I wonder how on earth he could still love me, but he does. 

What I don’t think he knows, is how much I really appreciate him. The man works 6 days a week, comes home and takes care of 2 kids so I can work, relax or even go to bed. He supports every single crazy idea I have. He stands up for me when others don’t. He lets me cry, and gives me space when I don’t want to talk about why I’m crying. He lets me vent. He even sometimes picks up his own mess! All joking aside, he is a pretty awesome guy, and he isn’t bad to look at either (especially with his manly beard)!

So-

Dave if you are reading this (which you better be reading my blogs!), thank you for loving me. Thank you for supporting my goals. Thank you not giving up on us, when I was ready to. Thank you for giving me 2 stellar kids. Thank you for making me your wife. I love you sugar lips!