People say you will just "know" when you meet the right person to marry. I did have that moment when I knew, but I wanted to make sure that I knew because I was coming into the thing with a not-so-stellar track record of relationships or any kind of positive family example of marriage. The fact that he stuck around long enough to win this drama queen is tribute enough.
Believe me, I tried to sabotage the thing, but he never took the bait. That was different. Then we did have some real life drama of our own making, but through the whole thing he never wavered. He did the right thing. He sacrificed his plans. He did not play games, though I tried to drag him into many. He faithfully stuck by and let his overly emotional girl ride her own roller coaster. He was always waiting for me when I was ready to get off.
There was early talk of marriage and I once shared my fears with his parents. "I just don't want to wake up one day and ask myself, 'Why did I marry YOU?'" They laughed and said it would likely happen no matter who I married.
Maybe that day will come, but it hasn't yet. Because I know exactly why I married this man.
...his humility. I have married a man who does not rest on his laurels or recount the glory days. Instead, he digs in to the present and pours himself out for others.
...his priority is his family. He is certainly capable of climbing the ladder, but he doesn't because he wants to be there for us.
...his quiet confidence. For someone who can blab, blab, blab all day and have no idea what I'm even talking about, this is the best quality I could have in a husband. When he says something, he has thought it through. Oh the calm security we have because the man in our home exudes quiet confidence!
...his servant heart. This man asks me regularly if I need him to do anything for me. If he doesn't ask it is because he has seen something I need and has started doing it.
...his willingness to take risks. I used to think that his steady nature and love for the Mid-West would become boring, but we have been trying new things all along. Not everything has worked out the way we planned, but that leads me to my next thing...
...his unwillingness to wallow in defeat. Were it not his determination to move forward, I would probably be in a pit of despair somewhere. Instead, he pulls me along and doesn't let me throw pity parties.
...his unwavering belief in God's goodness. Just when I think that his silence means lack of faith, he reminds me that God has always taken care of us and will not let us down now.
These are some of the things I treasure most in my Secret Admiral. (Perhaps one day I will write our story for those who haven't heard it.) My respect for him grows each year and I know now, like I knew then that I could never live without him.
Happy Birthday Bo.
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