My Husband

I love my husband. He is a blessing to me. We have been married over 20 years. It hasn't always been easy; there was even a time I almost left. But, by the grace of God, we pulled it together and keep working on it. Our marriage is a constant work in progress. It ebbs and flows, sometimes better than others. But we are in it for the long haul.

He spent a good part of the last 4 years working away from home at various locations within a few hours of home so he could provide for us. He came home whenever he could, usually once a week. And we visited him when we could. The last year was the hardest since his locations were 6 hours or more away. Then last spring, he applied for and landed a similar position here at home! What a blessing that has been. With our older children away at college, and my job requiring evening meetings several times a month, he has been able to be the father he has wanted to be. He really missed being able to go to their sporting events and concerts and felt out of the loop on so many other things. He didn't know their friends or teachers any more and missed several of the youngest child's milestones.

He had become accustomed to spending Sunday afternoons in the fall at a sports bar with our teenager watching their favorite football team - the Ravens. They had developed a routine where they'd go watch their game, then he would drive the child home and go back to the location where he was working. Last year, he was too far for that. Both of them really missed it. Usually football isn't on very often at home, but that fall, I let that child have the TV time every Sunday afternoon. They would call each other on the phone several times during the game. I was so happy they were able to resume their routine this year.

He does little things for me that mean so much. On frosty mornings when I am leaving shortly after he does, he starts my car so it is defrosted and toasty. He helps with the children who are still at home, especially on the evenings I am at meetings. He supports and encourages my running, which with marathon training, means several hours more that I am gone. Often, he has a hot cup of coffee for my return.

So he went to the other side of the country for a few weeks after Thanksgiving for training. He comes home in a few days. I missed him when he was gone working away from home for so long, but being essentially a single parent became the norm and I managed to cope. Now that he is gone for a much shorter time, I find I am missing him terribly since I became so used to him always being home. I am so blessed to have a husband who works hard for us. He calls me every day if I don't call him first. Sometimes we talk just to hear the other's voice. I pray he makes it home safely during this major storm front that is covering the whole region.