17 reasons

Saturday I am celebrating 17 years of marriage to the same guy. Shawn and I have been married since we were mere infants. Somewhere along the way, we turned into adults. We have been crazy in love most of those 17 years, and even when times were tough, we stuck it out and made it through. Every day that I wake up next to him, I am incredibly grateful. I don't take the opportunity nearly enough to let him know just how amazing he is, so that's tonight's blog.

Just for you, babe.

17 reasons why I love my husband.

1. His eyes subtly change color with his moods. They get darker when he is angry or very tired or very passionate. They are greener when he is laughing, or playful.

2. His hair has delightful curls. I can be fascinated for hours just stretching the curls out and letting them spring back.

3. He has great calves. Amazing! Looks great in shorts and flip flops.

4. He adores his children. He is gentle and kind with our girls - showing them how a real man treats a woman. He is patient long after I am frustrated.

5. He speaks affirmation over our son, giving him that desired "dad blessing" that boys crave.

6. He does dishes (and laundry, and vacuums, and dusts)

7. He fixes stuff that breaks, like the dryer. (without ever being nagged)

8. He does the grocery shopping. Enduring that hell known as Wal-mart, simply so that I don't have to go to the store after working a long day.

9. He pursues God passionately, seeking to live a life surrendered to God's will as best he understands it at the moment.

10. He seeks purity. He turns away from temptations so that he can look me in the eye without guilt.

11. He loves people. He enjoys meeting new people and having friends into our home.

12. He is not afraid to do the hard thing. Many times in life and ministry the right thing has been very, very hard. He does it anyway, even if it is awkward or inconvenient.

13. He is a man of amazing integrity. I can count on him to follow through with pretty much anything he ever says.

14. He adores me. He finds me stunningly and absolutely beautiful - even after four babies left their marks on my body. He does not speak empty words, but I see my beauty reflected in the way he looks at me.

15. He is not afraid of affection. It is rare for us to be seated in the same room or walking near to each other without holding hands. We never lost the habit from the dating years.

16. He plans ways to make me feel special. He surprises me with Starbucks and a fudge round, drops by at work just to make me smile, lays down his busy life to enjoy a cup of coffee on the couch in the afternoon, and often plans elaborate - and sometimes simple - surprise dates.

17. I know you don't want a lot of details here, but he is an amazing lover. I cannot imagine feeling more sexy, or more satisfied than he makes me feel. I hear other women talk, and believe me, I definitely count my blessings on this one. I always walk away from our romantic encounters looking forward to the next time.


Bottom line - somehow I managed to end up with better than happily ever after. I am married to a man that is an incredible man of integrity and character. He adores me and our children. He daily lays down his own dreams and desires to make sure that I am put first in his life. It is a privilege to say that we are celebrating 17 years. I am looking forward to the rest of our lives together.