I really am blessed. My husband and I married later in life after not-so-good previous experiences in marriage. We both have good jobs, recently purchased the perfect house, and we have a blended family with four sons between us.
I appreciate what we’ve mutually learned before we met and during the years of dating. We brought the understanding of what we believe are the characteristics of a good marriage:
- mutual respect for each other as people who have their own characteristics which are unique and NOT WRONG
- communicate often and openly and with genuine listening and genuine understanding (or at least authentically trying to understand)
- support your spouse and his/her interests – you don’t have to run a marathon with your spouse but you can encourage and cheer your spouse on.
- we are a team – when one member of a team is hurting it affects the whole team
- we are one according to scripture
- Jesus is first in our marriage
I know what my husband enjoys doing and I support that – he loves to read so he gets Kindle Unlimited for Christmas every year, and if he wants to buy a book, heck yeah, buy that book!
My husband likes the Washington Redskins, I mean the Washington Football team. If he wants to watch the team play on a Sunday afternoon, heck yeah – let’s watch the game!
My husband got his bachelors degree from the University of Virginia and he enjoys watching the school’s sports games if they are televised. If he wants to watch a game on a Saturday, the heck yeah – let’s cheer on your team!
If my husband wants to order a pizza one night instead of having our planned meal, I’m okay with that!
You see, our life isn’t all about me – it’s about the joy of our life together. It really makes my heart happy to see him enjoying what he likes to do.
My husband feels the same way about me and if you look closely in each of the photos I’ve posted, you will see my pop up shops from over the past few weeks … and if you look very closely at each photo, you’ll see my beloved husband. He helps me set up and break down my tent, tables and display fixtures, and then reads books while we man the booth together. We also have lively discussions, people watch and visit other vendors. He is my biggest fan, my muscle, and my limo (SUV, actually) driver. He comes along when I visit my mother in the nursing home, he develops and executes plans to help us do things financially meaningful. He’s my financial advisor, my lawn care and landscape developer, the bug killer, and the reacher of things on top shelves.
I’m so grateful to have him in my life. I can only hope and pray that I fill in gaps for him as well as he fills in my many many gaps.
Jesus, me and hubby.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. (Ecclesiastes 4:12)
Hooked on Whimsy 