I love October! This month has always been my favourite. That is why we chose this month, thirteen years ago, for our wedding. It does not seem that long ago!
My memories of our wedding day are happy, they never fail to make me smile. The weather was a crisp but dry day, the leaves were turning and falling providing a natural carpet along the path to the church, I believe everyone enjoyed themselves and there were no arguments even though we both have split families. It was a good day with tasty food, good music and a trike ride complete with champagne.
So, in honour of our thirteenth wedding anniversary, this post is going to be a little different. I worry sometimes that my husband feels unappreciated and unloved, especially since the arrival of our spawn. Therefore, this post is going to be sentimental and I am going to attempt to show my gratitude and reasons why I hope that there will be many more years to come using one of my favourite tools for organising my thoughts and daily life.
This is my limited list for you, my long suffering husband:-
1. You make me laugh daily, regardless of whether it has been a good day or not. I love the fact that we know each other so well that a facial expression can cause a giggle, regardless of the circumstances surrounding it.
2. The constant stream of projects that accumulate year on year. Ok, so the more time that lapses the more our gardens resemble a scrap yard. However, the joy on your face when you manage to complete one is wonderful to see but please, do not take this as permission to bring home anymore scrap for the time being.
3. Your loyalty to your family. Whether that is to the children and I, or other members of the family, there can be no doubt that you are relied on by many.
4. Your empathy for others. Whenever you see a post on social media asking for help, or someone stuck or broken down, you try and help if possible whether they are friends or strangers.
5. Your seemingly never ending patience with me and my hair brained ideas. We both know there have been a few and most of them have fallen by the wayside and some stage or another. Even though my interest my fade you never criticise me. Equally, you do not push me to continue if I am not enjoying it, you just accept the situation and move on.
6. The fun that you bring with you and share with us when you get home at the end of the week . Sometimes the week may have been challenging yet, the worries and stresses from work are left at the back door and you are available and full of games to play.
7. The broad shoulders upon which you carry many burdens calmly and, annoyingly, silently. Many of these are probably mine but I am grateful that you allow me to share the weight with you.
8. Watching your relationships with our children grow each year. The trust that you have built and strengthen, the support you give to each of them and the time you spend laughing is lovely to witness.
9. Your intelligence. Many will say you do not have any, however, I know that you are very intelligent. You are just very good at hiding it at every opportunity. Enough said.
10. You have an amazing work ethic, although I do worry sometimes that you are a workaholic. I do appreciate all that you do professionally for us to maintain the quality of life we enjoy.
11. Your unfailing support. This has been evident from the very beginning of our relationship during the most difficult experience of my life so far. Without your support I would not have ben able to achieve all that I have so far and I would not be able to reach any future goals either.
12. The compassion that you show, particularly for animals that you either don’t like such as the recent addition to our family. I know she is not your favourite but there are times that your not particularly keen on Dashal sometimes, especially when he is doing his best impression of an exhaust pipe.
13. Your passion… for your interests and the commitment that you make to each organisation and event that you possible can. In addition, the passion that you demonstrate to support the interests of others such as dance or rugby.
There are many more qualities that my husband exhibits regularly. The flowers shown on this post, for example, were sent by him to me as a surprise on our anniversary. They were very much appreciated. I’m sure there will be some people that will disapprove of our lifestyle but frankly, I no longer care for the opinions of others.
My husband has been my rock throughout our relationship. If it were not for him I can safely say that my life would be very different now. It would have been easy to fall down the hole that I found myself in shortly after we met. He provided me with the hand that I needed to pull myself up and he has not withdrawn it since.
There is a lot of man hating around which is, effectively, centred around telling men that they are toxic by default purely because of their genitalia which is utterly ridiculous. It is making me angry because it is untrue and unfair. In fact, it seems to me rather hypocritical but that is the subject for another post.
Mumma Bear Roars 