Praise

It is most often me who writes on this blog, and the subject matter typically consists of some sort of anecdote about one of the four little people I live with.  I mean, isn't that sort of an unwritten rule of motherhood?  

"Have blog...have kids...post on blog about all the funny/crazy/unbelievable (good & bad) things your kids think/do/say."  

And so I don't always take the time to write about the man in my life.  Which is kind of crazy, because he is so much a part of my life that I sort of don't remember that much about my life before he was in it.  I guess it's not that surprising when you consider that my entire universe has revolved around this man for the last 17 years.  So indulge me for a minute while I get a bit emotional about the greatest thing that has ever happened to me.

Andrew has always been one of the most hardworking people I have ever known.  My dad is that way too, and it's always been something important to me.  Andrew is never satisfied with mediocrity.  He is always striving to learn more, do more, be more to achieve his goals.  And he sets his goals HIGH.  Sometimes I tease him or even complain about how he's constantly working on something new, but really, I am just so impressed and thankful that he won't settle for anything less than the very best for himself and for his family.  His goals are never just about him and what he wants, they are always centered on what will help our family to be stronger and grow closer together.  So I was really proud of him when I found out that he was being recognized as

one of the top 100 entrepreneurs in Utah.  

  It was nice for him to be recognized in the business world for the hard work that he does there, but I realized that if he were to be recognized for all the hard work he does within our family, I would have to come up with a lot more awards for him.  Because to be honest, "best daddy ever" and "most incredible husband I could ever ask for" might not make it on a vSpring press release, but they are the most important awards to me. 

 

The kids don't know anything about the v100 list (although they could probably explain to you what entrepreneur means), but they do know that their dad reads to them for about an hour almost every single night, even though he usually has to go back to work once they're in bed.  They also know that they have a dad who is a good listener, who is very fair, who's able to put himself in their position and really tries to understand where they're coming from, and who will patiently take over when their mom has obviously had it.  They know that their dad works really hard, but it's okay with them because he will work alongside them, and there will always be plenty of time spent relaxing and having fun together when the work is done.  They also know that they can ask him anything, and he will always do his best to answer their questions honestly, no matter what.  Seriously, I married him knowing that he would be great with kids, but even I am surprised at what an unbelievably incredible father he really is!  For that, and much, much more, we award Andrew the "best daddy ever" award!     

There are a million little things and several hundred big, huge things that Andrew has done for me, that it seems almost ridiculous to try and list any of them.  Maybe we should just start with Sunday as our example.  The day that is set aside to honor these great husbands and fathers in our lives.  The day when dads are supposed to get pampered and waited on and shown how much we care.  And I had plans to do all this, when an unusual night with a crying baby took me by surprise.  After a cumulative one hour of sleep, I groggily stumbled around the house and somehow managed to make it to church and live through church, only to come home and collapse for the rest of the day in bed.  I awoke to a dinner that he had prepared and questions about how I was doing.  And I couldn't even make it up to him then, by doing the dishes (thanks Esther!) or rubbing his feet, because when I woke up it was to fever and chills and the realization that I was really sick.  So I went right back to bed, and without one word of complaint, that was his father's day.

Or maybe I could talk about my recent obsession with chickens (more to come on that later), and how Andrew has had to spend what little free time he has had over the last couple of months building me a chicken coop.  As the other family members who were dragged into this can attest, it was A LOT of work, and it was all because I wanted it.  Unfortunately, there are several examples just like this--projects that I request, that I say I'll do myself, that he somehow always gets dreadfully dragged into.  Like my painting obsession when we moved here.  He warned me how much work it would be, and how he didn't really think it was necessary to paint the house.  But I insisted that I could do it myself; that he wouldn't have to do anything.  Until halfway through, when I was so sick of painting I felt literally sick.  And he stepped in with his tall self and his strong arms and made that job seem like the easiest thing ever, partly because he finished most of it for me when I wasn't even home.

I could also tell you about the best mother's day present I have ever received, given to me last month, when Andrew did the dishes (every single dish, even from breakfast and lunch) every single day for the entire month.  Maybe I should just say that one more time, because it fills me with so much joy.  Andrew washed every dish every night for every day in May.  It was beautiful.  I better not even begin going into the hours he has spent supporting me and taking care of the kids while I have attended births, taught childbirth classes, or gone running, because I'd never finish this.  But I'll just say, there have been too many to count.  Way too many.  I could also tell you about how truly forgiving he is, how much he honestly wants me to be happy, how good his heart is, how hard he is always working to be a better person, how perfect his personality balances mine.  I have been crazy in love with him for a really long time, but when you are 16, you just don't realize how your heart will still flutter when your husband is walking the halls with your crying baby, or patiently, kindly teaching your son about right and wrong, or giving your daughter a huge hug and telling her how beautiful she is while her eyes light up with joy.  But no matter what I say, the words could never come close to describing the reality.  And so, I will just say, for these reasons and more, I award Andrew the "most incredible husband I could ever ask for" award!  

I am a lucky, lucky girl.

 I love you honey.  With all my heart.  bff&ea