Ode to John

Today is our seventh anniversary! When I was single, I dated a lot of nice guys, but never felt right about any of them. In retrospect, I'm not even sure that I knew what I was looking for - or that I was looking for the right things. But it didn't matter, because the Lord knew, and I just needed to wait. (I mention this, because I think the waiting made me really appreciate what I have even more.) I received such a strong answer that I should marry John. I was aware of many of John's great qualities before marriage, but many more things that make him a great husband and father have only become evident since marriage. For example, John loves spending time with family more than anything. Recently, he was chatting with some men at church (about camping/hunting kinds of things, I believe). He mentioned that any time spent away from his wife and kids, he considered lost time. One friend said, "Whoa boy. Come up for some air!" That made me laugh, but seriously, how lucky am I to have a husband that would rather be with us than off playing golf or something? Another thing is that he is so loving and affectionate with me and with the kids. It is touching to see how much he loves everything the kids say and do. He seems to take such pleasure in their company. And he tells me he loves me many times a day. Before I got married, there were a couple of quotes in the novel Jane Eyre that I loved, and hoped to feel sometime in a marriage. I've shared these with my family, but would like to have one of them here in my blog/journal:

"There was no harassing restraint, no repressing of glee and vivacity with him; for with him I was at perfect ease, because I knew I suited him....Delightful consciousness! It brought to life and light my whole nature: in his presence I thoroughly lived; and he lived in mine."

I love my sweet, intelligent husband!