Celebrating John

Today we celebrate John. It’s his birthday! Woot Woot! I figured this was the perfect time to share a little bit about the guy I have loved through thick and thin, till death do us part. Hooray!

He’s been my right hand man (a.k.a. husband) for almost 20 years now😘. He still makes me laugh after all these years, but if I’m being absolutely honest, he has also been known — on the rare occasion — to make me want to break a slate over his head. (Anne Shirley, I get you!😂).

Don’t worry I have never indulged in the urge to do violence to the man I love dearly, but funny how 20 years of marriage can reveal all your shortcomings and “buttons” to another person.

Oh boy, do we know how to press the buttons!

But through all of those struggles, we have begun to learn the real meaning of love. We have learned to practice forgiveness and patience with each other. 

We have learned we can choose to see the best in the other or the worst — but not both at the same time. So we need to try to focus on the best. 

We have challenged each other (intentionally, or not) in ways that we needed to be challenged. Little did we know, starting off, how much we needed to grow in order to become better people (not perfect, by any means, but better!).

We can’t take too much credit, though, it really comes down to grace.🙌🏻

I know not everybody has their happily ever after, and the miracle of this marriage is not lost on me. I don’t deserve it, but going to try to live out my gratitude every day — even when John is driving me crazy.😊

So deeply grateful that I decided to take that leap of faith and forsake all others for John so many years ago. Not one regret.

There are so many things that I could share about John, but I guess I’ll just share one of the things that has always struck me about John: he is a man of incredible strength.

I am not only referring to his physical strength, but also his strength of character. This strength that has helped John to persevere — in the most difficult of times — and has left us in awe of a man who never gives up the fight, even when things are dark and difficult.

That kind of strength and perseverance is a rare thing, and it has influenced John in the ways he has used his physical strength as well: never has he used it to harm — always only to protect and cherish and love.

Many a family holiday has included John carrying many a child for miles and miles and miles.

Never, even in his most difficult and exhausted moments, has he ever failed to pick up a child who is tired, cradled him in his arms or placed them on his shoulders and pushed through his own exhaustion for the sake of his weary child.

John has taken his strengths — physical, emotional and spiritual — and put them at the service of the family he loves.

Now that is a rare thing nowadays — though not as rare as one would think when you take the time to look a little deeper at the many husbands and fathers living their silently heroic lives around us.

I know we have all benefited from that strength and hopefully John knows that we see it and appreciate it.

We see the sweaty treks in far off lands and the chilly hikes up rocky mountains. We see the daily getting up, saying his prayers and leaving the house so he can provide for his family.

We see the late night talks with a child who needs counsel, the running off to the sporting event or dance with his daughters, and all the many ways he sacrifices on the daily for us.

We have felt him carry all of us in different times and in different ways throughout these past twenty years. We are blessed to be loved by such a man.

So here’s to John!

Here’s to the best partner in our many crazy adventures, the best father in a world that doesn’t always experience fatherhood as it should, and the best husband who lets me know how greatly he loves and cherishes me on the daily.

We are blessed, indeed, to know him!

Now, I’m off to make that spice cake “just like his mom used to make” — only a bit less dry. (Did I say that out loud? Ha, ha.)

Now go off and love your people! Happy Weekend to you all!