Nineteen

Today I'm celebrating 19 years of being married to my best friend.

Back in the day.  We both have less hair now.  One of us has a lot less hair.  He shall remain anonymous.  One of us is carrying a few extra pounds.  She shall remain nameless as well.

DD#2 had this pithy observation about her parents' marriage: "I really respect your marriage.  I can't imagine that anyone else would stay married to either one of you for nineteen years." 

Ha!

Out of the mouths of babes.

It's true that we are a match made (all cliches aside) in heaven.

Here are nineteen things I love about Big Red:

1. He's godly and growing in godliness.  His relationship with Christ isn't stagnant.

2. He prays for me and  for our kids.

3. He works hard.  

4. Few people, I think, can say they are doing what they were born to do.  He is one who can.  He was born to teach and coach and influence young men positively.

5. He is funny.  (He's also annoying, but one must take the bad for the good.;-))

6. He is handy.  He fixes everything--including septic tanks.  Plumbing is his nemesis--which is okay.  Everybody should admit defeat somewhere.)

7. He is respected by the people who know him and work with him.

8. He's fun to be around.

9. He has big dreams.

10. He pushes me to have bigger dreams for myself.

11. He grows things.  If green thumbs were hereditary, I would be the gardener.  Alas, my husband caught the gene by osmosis from his in-laws.

12. He appreciates things I do well, like cook and create.  He says all the right things about scrapbooks and cards and mantels even though I suspect he wouldn't notice if I didn't point them out first.

13.  He is a great dad.

14. He is generous.

15. At 45, he's still cute.

16.He makes a mean omelet.

17. He can out-clean Monk. ( Sometimes this fits under the annoying category, but I realize that it is a blessing most of the time.)

18. He is compassionate.

19. He is willing to go and do whatever God calls him to do.