Happy Anniversary to Bob and Myself

This picture is evidence of number 6 on the list below.

Today is Bob and my thirteenth anniversary. I know. The number thirteen. I am not worried. I don't believe in luck, good or bad. God has blessed us with a happy marriage, and I don't think He will pull the rug out from us just because we have reached the number thirteen.
Bob and I are very blessed. We love each other and are very happy. I wish there was some sort of secret that I knew. I would make up pamphlets and hand them out on the street for free. But the only reason that exists is that God blessed us with each other, for which I am grateful. Bob is a wonderful husband.
I suppose I could write the story of how we met. Maybe the story about how he proposed would be good, or rough patches we overcame. Those may eventually make good stories. But today I would rather give you the top ten reasons Bob is a wonderful husband.

1) God is first. Always. If I don't realize Bob is praying, and I call out "What do you want for breakfast?" (which I rarely do on a weekday, since he gets up early, and I am lazy), Bob will call out "I'm praying" rather than interrupt his time with God to state his preference. Bob gets up early every morning to pray and read from the Bible. I know. So do many of you. Good. I know this time with God is what shaped my husband into the wonderful man that I love.

2) Though Bob is head of this household, he takes into consideration my thoughts and desires. I don't feel like a subservient female. I feel like I am second in command. I feel he trusts my judgement to make choices that perhaps need to be made quickly in keeping with our shared values.

3) He encourages me to do what I want. When I started a blog, he thought it was great. When I spent three days writing about the best holiday gift so I could send the letter to the editor of the Tribune, and hopefully put Christ back in Christmas on the editorial page, my husband cheered, an ate hot dogs for dinner. When I wanted to teach CCD, but was concerned because I'd be away from mom, he said not to worry, if he had to work on a Saturday, he would go in when I came home.

4) Bob and I both wanted a family. We agreed that three children would be the perfect number, four would be a gift if given we hope we could handle, and five would mean no more you know until I go through the change. Then, when it turned out I couldn't have children, he truly convinced me he'd rather never father a child with me than father a child with anyone else. (Yes, I offered him an out, but he wouldn't hear of it. At the lowest point in my life, the point at which I felt worthless to myself, he let me know I am worthwhile to him.)

5) When my mom was in rehab, and we were told she'd never walk again, the nurses at the nursing home and the PT's told me I'd never be able to handle her at home by myself, and that she needed to stay there. Mom was miserable and getting sick and being sent to the hospital a lot. She wanted to "die at home." Bob convinced me that together we could handle taking care of mom. Though I had my doubts, Bob smoothed them by suggesting that if I couldn't handle mom by myself during the day, we'd hire someone to help. That turned out not to be necessary. As a matter of fact, we took care of mom two years before hiring someone to come in once a week so we could go out. And my mom is doing well. I truly believe mom is healthy (though she still can't walk) today because her Son In Law loved her and me enough to bring her home.

6) Bob has an awesome sense of humor. I should write about some of the stuff he has done for Life is Funny sometime.

7) He doesn't complain because my housekeeping skills leave a lot to be desired. He loves me and sees what is good, and accepts what is not.

8) He'll play Questions Only and Word Association Football with me. He hates those games, but knows that I enjoy them, so he'll go along for a bit.

9) When Bob comes home from work I feel such joy. Seeing him is still the highlight of any day for me.

10) When Bob puts his arm around me, any worries I had no longer seem to matter. God has provided me with a good man. Together we can face what God has in store for us to deal with. With God's help, of course.


Do the number of things I love about Bob stop with ten? No. But there are some things that don't get shared in cyberspace by women wearing ankle length dresses with doily collars.

If you read this today Bob, Happy Anniversary. I love you so much, and I am grateful to God that you are my husband.


Enclosed below is the song we first danced to as a married couple at our wedding. Our Song.