The past week and a half has been rough around here. We've had sickness befall one of us, one right after the other, one way or the other every day since January 21st (yes I've kept track:). It has been exhausting, emotional and lets face it, just plain gross at times. Something that I've realized, or re-realized, or newly appreciated in the past two weeks is my husband's willingness to help out with anything traditionally considered "my job". When Josh threw up all over, he took the carpet, I took the kiddo. When Isaiah needed popsicles and ibuprofen, he stopped at the store after a long physical day at work. When I got sick he made the drive all the way to Palmer (about an hour from where he's been working, then 45 mins back to our place) to get some more medicine for me, stopped and bought me chicken AND stopped to check the mail so we could have some new movies to keep us entertained the next day. He then came home, sent my feverish fanny to bed, took care of the kids and folded the laundry that had been sitting in the hamper since I first fell ill. There were moments where I could tell he didn't really feel up to doing these things, and yet he did. How did I get so lucky?
I confess when he came home from work feeling sick yesterday, after just sending my kids off so I could rest, I was a little disappointed. In part because I know how much he hates to miss work, and selfishly in part because I didn't want to have to take care of someone else when I had finally had time for myself. It passed quickly when I saw him and I immediately jumped in to take care of him, just as he had done for me. I realized that, in those few moments he had grumbled a bit about running the extra errands, it really had nothing to do with not wanting to help me, but just being tired. Honestly, before the tables had turned, I had taken a slight offense to it. Now I know it was nothing more then his (and later mine) mere humanity peeking out a bit. He was tired, I was tired, but still we labored for each other out of love.
Marriage isn't easy, not a single day has ever been the fairy tale ending I had imagined in my glowing eyes prior to making my vows. As a 10 year veteran of marriage I can now add some more to my vows; in exhaustion & rest, in stressful times & peace, with kids & without, in those days when you annoy me by breathing & days when you can do no wrong, in days we feel connected & days you feel like a stranger, in laughter & tears, in fishing season & out.... We've had our good days & bad, our richer & poorer, and (obviously) our sickness & in health. It all intertwines together to make up our life as man and wife, the good, the bad and the 3 am feedings. It's work, but it's the kind of work that has rewards beyond measure. Last night as I watched him labor under a fever of nearly 103, praying it wouldn't go any higher, momentarily wondering what I would ever do without him, I knew that every moment of our life was worth it. Even the really hard ones, because he's mine and I am his, we belong together. God made it so and I am ever so thankful....
David & I on our wedding day
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