I am going to start a “Thankful Thursday”  post each Thursday.  This will be my place, in the midst of the chaos, to stop and remember what I am thankful for.  Feel free to add what you are thankful for in the comment section!

I am thankful for my husband, Nate.  We have been married for just over 9 years and they have been wonderful years.  Don’t get me wrong!  We have had our share of ups and downs, but there is no one that I would have rather shared those things with than him.  Nate works very hard with very little  complaining so that he can provide for our family, and so that I can stay home with our 4 J’s.   He is a quiet man, with a great sense of humor!  He “allows” me to think that I am in control most of the time, but we both know in the end who has the final word! (ME) 

But, seriously, I know that Nate would give his very life for me or the kids.  There is a huge amount of security for a women in that statement.   And, that is what we wives need, security.  I have to know that he is going to come home to me every day, and be glad to see me.  And I know that.  I need to know that I can trust him with the lives of our children, and I know that I can.  I have to know that when decisions are made regarding our finances, that he takes his families well being into account when making that decision, and he does.  I need to know that if something happens to me that he will take care of me, and I do. 

When I became sick three years ago during my pregnancy with J3 I had to trust Nate with decisions regarding my life and the life of our child.  I was in surgery and need another emergency procedure done and the doctor had to go to Nate to get consent.  I joked about it later, saying, “You better be careful who you marry! They may just hold your life in their hand one day!”  But, I wouldn’t trust anyone other than Nate to make those decisions.  I know he loves me, and would never do anything to hurt me.  How many people in our life can we say that about? 

Poor Nate even had to get over his squeamishness (is that a word?) about dealing with blood and gross stuff to take care of me!  Because our insurance wouldn’t cover home health visits, Nate had to learn to do (almost) sterile bandage changes for my nephrostomy tube.  I felt so bad for him, having to look at a tube sticking out of his wife’s back, and on top of that the tube was attached to a bag of urine!  During those very trying 12 wks, Nate became Mr. Mom, the maid, my nurse, and my personal “therapist” while I talked endlessly about my fears for J3.  Nate never complained.  He did it all, and he did it well, for me.  And I love him so much for that!

A couple of funny statements that Nate makes are “I didn’t sign on for this. . . “, or “That all changed under the arbor. . .”!  (My grandfather built and arbor that we were married under)  We laugh about it, but I’ve never thought that he would change things, even if he could.  Knowing that he is in this, for better or worse, THAT gives me security.  Security in our relationship.  Security in who I am, as his wife.  And that gives me peace.

Thank you Nate for 9 awesome years.  You are far better than anything I could have ever hoped for.  You were worth the wait.

This is one of my favorite recent pics of Nate.

What are you thankful for today?