In honor of Wes' 30th birthday, I wanted to write him a tribute blog. Let me warn you, there may be ups and downs as you read this. You may shed tears of joy and tears of sadness as you read this. All in about the span of two minutes. Kind of like a bad Lifetime movie. You ready?
Wes and I met our freshman year of college. I was with my roommate visiting a church in Anderson when in walked in a blond haired, blue-eyed, tall, husky, not quite muscular beauty. He changed my life! After he swept me off of my feet, we spent the next 4 years of college by each other's side. We loved our college years. Wes would finish my food, my sentences and would take me on dates to the computer lab on Friday nights. Everything was perfect.
One of the conversations we had as we realized the next step was marriage for us was about our family. How many children would we have? Would they have big heads like Wes with skinny bodies like mine? Would I stay home with our kids or work? How would we afford it? During that time of discussions, two things happened that I believe changed the course of our early marriage and subsequently our lives:
1.) Wes started working a factory job during our senior year. He made a pretty decent salary and he saved it all. It was hard to watch him work so hard and get so little sleep. But he was setting the foundation for our lives together.
2.) We decided once I started working after graduation, all of my money made would go straight into savings. I wouldn't see a dime. We would live off of his income only and all the money I made would go to fund us during the time where I wouldn't be working and would be taking care of our kids.
Once we go married, we stuck fiercely to these. Wes worked hard, and I saved all I got. I know I am here today because of the sacrifices we made early on. I hope you don't see this as me bragging. I just want to give props to one of the people who taught me that good things come to those who wait. Wes got a lot of flack in high school and college for being cheap. But as I look back at our lives together, I wouldn't change a thing. I hope he feels the same way.
When it came time for us to have our children, I told my mom I was worried that he wouldn't be as into it as I was. Boy was I wrong! The second I had Preston, he snatched him out of my hands and I have yet to get him back. And I love that! I love that he is so hands-on. He's not too proud to change diapers, get thrown-up on, or help someone up after they have fallen. He is right there to play with the boys, to teach them new things and to guide them in the right direction if they are misbehaving (which they never do by the way).
As a husband, I hoped that the man I met in college would be the man that he would always be. But he has changed. I have seen him come into his own. He went from a boy who would sleep through his alarm clock to a man that jumps up quickly to turn off the alarm so he doesn't wake me up. He has gone from a boy who holds back when it came to projects because he thinks he doesn't know what he's doing to someone who takes on home improvment projects and car fixing projects head on. He is so loving and so kind. I just can't express that enough! We don't fight very often. I would love to say the reason we don't is because I'm so likable but that would be a lie. It's because he respects me as we fight. He has never called me names or belittled me or tried to break my spirit. Things don't usually end up in giant fights because his cool head doesn't allow them to escalate. Even when we do fight I can feel his love coming through.
Lastly, I have seen Wes become a wonderful spiritual leader for our home. I have seen him go from going to church on Sunday's to now seeing his faith permeate his whole life. He has a huge desire to know more about God and His plan for the world. I have seen his love for people grow. I have seen him become more generous towards others because he has realized that all we have is from God anyway.
Wes, you have no idea how much you mean to me. I never imagined the life I have with you would be so wonderful. You have made the 11 years or so that I have known you the best of my life. Happy 30th birthday!
2 comments:
Yay! I hope this comment actually gets sent because I normally can't comment for some reason!
I loved reading this tribute! I think you and Wes are one of the most godly couples I have met. I appreciate your love and respect for each other and strive to do a better job at being a wife as a result of how I see the way you love Wes! Thank you for being a godly example of what a husband needs from his wife. You work well together!
I just now saw this! What a great tribute! I admire your relationship with each other and with God. His blessings on you, as you continue on...with exciting ideas now, thinking of "wide open spaces." We have those, more or less, here in southern IN too! Hilly, with curvy roads...
Love, Aunt Miriam
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