Lately I've been thinking a lot about gratitude. Mostly because I have a lot to be grateful for these days. Having been on bed rest for the last few weeks due to preterm labor, and my recently diagnosed SPD
http://www.babyworld.co.uk/information/pregnancy/pregnancyproblems/pregprobs_pelvicjointpain.asp I have had a great deal of time to think. I am the type of person that is easily caught up in the things that are going wrong, and it is typical for me to lose sight of all that is going "right." Ironically enough, it has been during this time of everything going wrong that I realize just how incredibly lucky I am. By the world's definition, we are not a rich family, we are not a famous family, we are not even a family that has it all together...but we are a special family, because we have each other. It has taken me a long time to learn that who we are and how we treat each other means so much more that what we
have. It is very hard for me to accept help from others, and recently that is exactly what I have had to do. To humble myself and ask my family and friends for help, especially help with my kids. And I have been blown away by just how much help I have been given. By my mother, mother-in-law, sisters-in-law, friends, and most especially my own husband.
Matthew works 40+ hours a week as an electrical engineer at Raytheon, owns a web design business on the side(another 15-20 hours a week worth of work) and has some how managed, in addition to all of that, to take over the cooking, cleaning, and needs of our children. He has also managed to finish tiling our kitchen floor this weekend (he still needs to grout and move back the appliances, but he's done so much!) He also finds time to get my pregnancy cravings from restaurants across town, rub my back almost every night, and spend time talking to me before going into his office and starting on his second job. I don't know where he finds his energy, patience, or strength, but I am so, so grateful for who my husband is as a person.
Below are a few pictures of just how wonderful of a husband I have:
Matthew STILL tiling the kitchen at 11:00 pm, after having tiled all day long...
...wishing I would stop taking pictures and leave him alone to finish!
Reading the kids a story after having worked a very long day, done two loads of laundry, fed the kids dinner, given them their baths and gotten them ready for bed...
...he still manages to smile and enjoy being a dad to our kids!
