I Choose Him

With this week being Valentine's Day and all, I figured this would be a good time to share some of my thoughts about how fab my husband is. To tell you the truth, I wrote this post weeks ago but it's been in the line-up waiting to be posted. Today is the perfect day.

When you choose someone to be your spouse, you are consequently choosing that same person to be the father of your children. Granted, it seems like an obvious statement but a statement I hadn't really given much thought to until recently as we are about to reach the jumping off point into parenthood. The past two years, we have had to most wonderful opportunity to play "aunt" and "uncle" to the other ex-pat kiddos that live in our city. Kev has not taken this job lightly, and it's made me see just what kind of a man I've married who will be the father of our children.

He's not afraid of baby spit. Or baby poo, which makes me think he'll help with the diaper fun. He is afraid of blood and pain though, which also makes me think I'll have to step up to the plate when it comes to scrapped knees and nose bleeds (which I imagine will be aplenty in a house full of little boys).

He's just fun to be around. While Kevin always claims that I will be the heartbeat of fun in our house, I'm partial to think that the good times will roll when daddy is home.

He is intentional about conversation, even when there is not much reciprocity. Or even when it involves Lego magazine. Something we've talked is about how crucial it is to listen to kids no matter what they want to say to you. A strange dream, a dumb knock-knock joke, a movie they watched 8 months ago...it's important to them. If at a young age, they're convinced that mom & dad don't care to listen, what will change as they get older? As they age and the subject matter gets a little more serious or important (at least from the parent's perspective), mom & dad might be ready to listen but the children might have quit talking years earlier.

He makes the same quirky, laughing sound every time he holds a baby. I hope he does this forever.

He is a protector. I think this will be especially important as we raise two black babies in a country full of curious people. No doubt each day will bring a torrent of touching, pictures, questions, and comments. I believe his protector attitude and patient heart will help us respond with a balance of grace & guardedness.

He is patient. Patient enough to deal with timid kiddos, patient enough to deal with dogs determined to destroy anything they can get their teeth on, patient enough to deal with an impatient wife.* Case in point: we took three of our little "nieces & nephews" rollerskating last month. Apparently things have changed since 1991 when I scooted around Skate World to M.C. Hammer. No, this rink was full of teenage boys who were reckless and fast. Reckless enough to knock over the little ones who were supposed to be in my care! When I was ready to throw down and put my skate in their faces, Kevin calmly told me I was done and needed to take a break. Patient, I tell ya!

*wife left anonymous for privacy sake

He's not afraid to play, even if it means getting climbed on, dragging kids around a skating rink for hours on end, or making weenie dogs out of modeling clay.

I want our sons to be like their daddy. I want them to love Jesus, to know that humility is a virtue and not a sign of weakness, to treat their mama with love & respect (yes please!). Kev & I both have so much to learn as we grow into our role as parents, but I feel like I'll have a jump start with this man by my side.

Happy Valentine's Day, my love, from your wife & sons.