Summer Vacation Begins for a Proud Wife

Summer vacation has finally started for me. If you call it a vacation.

Baseball tournaments are starting tonight. Soccer camp begins Monday. Relay for Life is next Friday. The baseball championship is next Saturday. VBS starts on the 22nd. I'm teaching the big kids at church on Wednesday nights. We are chaperoning the youth trip to Six Flags KY Kingdom in a couple of weeks. Then there is fishing at Mr. Bailey's and the Club Calvary trip to the Nashville Zoo and Faith and Family Night at the HotRods game. Then it will be back to the classroom to prepare for August 5, the first day of school. Somewhere in there, we will try to get away for some family time!

With four days of PD out of the way, I am finding myself in a messy house with a 3 year old who is finally interested in using the potty. The laundry, catch all counter, and toy covered floors are calling my name, but I am finding myself here at the computer while Carson is watching Clifford and having a snack.

Just to let you know, the prayer requests that I've posted on this blog have been answered. Tami, Melissa, and Joe Mark are doing well. Jeffrey is still working toward the chaplain thing, and God is making himself evident in so many ways.

Two big days are approaching that are important to me. Jeffrey's birthday on Tuesday and Father's Day.


My husband.

The father of our children.

My best friend.

Let me tell you about him.

Jeffrey and I met over 18 years ago (Man! That makes us sound old!). My mom and I were out walking and stopped by my aunt's house where Jeffrey was hanging out with my cousin. He thought I was cute and I thought he was cute. A year later, we started "going together."

We dated throughout high school with the ups and downs of any teenage couple. We dated during college. In 1998, while on vacation with his family, Jeffrey proposed to me on the beach. In 1999, we were married. This year will be our 10 year anniversary.

I think our lives are an example of how God can work in you IF you allow him. When we started "going together" on April 15, 1991, we had no idea of what type of journey we would encounter. I think you could say that when we got married, we knew what we were getting in to. We've seen the good side of each other and the ugly side of each other. We've lived out some pretty good love songs I guess you could say.

But you know what? I know that I am blessed. I know that God put the two of us together for a reason.

I know some women who never say anything good about their husbands. When you are with them, it is only a matter of time before you find out how they really feel about their husbands. I cringe at those moments.

My husband is not perfect (sorry, Honey), but he his perfect for me. We are opposites, and not to sound like a scene from Jerry Maguire, but we complete each other. I'm grounded where he is impulsive. I'm not shopper savvy where he researches before making a purchase (that explains why he was up late last night looking at hotels and computers. I would have already made reservations on my new destop!). He is outgoing and very personable where I'm more comfortable around people I've know since birth.

I'm blessed because he loves me and our boys AND he is not afraid to show it. He does things that show us his love for us.

He is a man of his word, a man of integrity. He is not afraid of a little hard work.

He makes me proud to say I am his wife. Wednesday evening was a prime example.

A couple of weeks ago, our pastor had asked him to bring the Wednesday night message because he was going on vacation. This would be his 3rd time to do this. As he spoke to the congregation, I sat back in the back (behind Jack so I could hide and not make Jeffrey nervous) holding back tears of pride. The words he spoke were truly from God. He spoke to me. I could relate with what he was saying. I could tell that he was in his element.

I look at where we started. I look at where we've been. I look at where we are. I look at where we are headed. I'm thankful that God put us together. I'm thankful for the ups and downs we've been through. I'm confident that God has begun a good work in us and will finish it...one day. I'm looking forward to continuing our journey together with God leading us. I'm anxious to see where He will lead. Wherever and whatever God brings before us, I'm blessed to have this man, my husband, right there with me.

Jeffrey, I am thankful I caught your eye 19 years ago. I'm thankful you called me on April 15, 1991. I'm thankful for the sunset on the beach that summer. I'm thankful for that moment we said, "I do," in front of our family, friends, and Heavenly Father on October 2, 1999. I'm thankful you followed me down that same aisle on June 20, 2004 when you received Jesus as your Savior. I am thankful that we were baptized together on July 11, 2004. I am thankful for the moment I got to tell you I was pregnant with our first child. I'm thankful you stood by me through 12 hours of labor with him. I'm thankful for the moment we found out about Carson and the moment we held him after he was born before he was taken out to be put in the oxygen tent. I'm thankful for your service to our church, for you allowing God to use you. Honey, I am thankful for you. My list could go on and on. Just know that I love you and I am so blessed to be your wife.