A
bit of our background: I was just out of high school when I met Big Handsome
through one of my older brothers at a Youth for Christ youth group. I had been
going to the group most of my high school years. Big Handsome was a few years
older than me and in college locally.
I’ll never forget the day I laid eyes on him. I was in my girlfriend’s car getting ready to leave and in the rearview mirror I saw a little red truck pull into the parking lot. I had never seen the truck before and was intrigued as to who this new-comer was. Then I saw the most beautiful male specimen (in my opinion) climb out and walk toward my brother. He was wearing a tight blue and white pullover and a pair of stone washed Edwin® jeans (it was the 80’s after all). I told my friend, “Pull back in, and let’s see who he is!” I jumped out of the car and did my best impression of a nonchalant run/walk over to my brother. My brother introduced us and immediately, the cat got my tongue! I muttered a shy, quick hello as I stood there mesmerized by the most incredible smile complete with a perfect set of pearly white teeth. I was lost in his smoldering, bedroom sea-green eyes. His set of pecs weren’t so bad either (I’m just now realizing that I’m not writing a romance novel J ). From then on my friend and I nicknamed him The Model. Let me tell you, I wasn’t the only female that night drawn to him either. He was the proverbial “chick-magnet”. I thought to myself, I’ll never have a chance with him as I stood there watching all the other girls swoon over him. But, the Lord had something else in mind.
I also had something the other girls didn’t have, a brother with whom The Model was friends. Over the next several months we became fast friends. We would talk for long periods of time and he was at our house a lot, first to see my brother, then slowly to see me (that was my hope anyway). That was 25 years ago…
Fast forward to present: As most of you know by now he is tall, dark and oh, so handsome, so much so that every time I see him I still get butterflies. He is also my best friend, lover, soul mate and someone I would lay my life down for. We have been married 21 glorious years (ok, maybe some not so glorious, but who doesn’t experience that at some point?), and have been together 25+. He has taught me the true meaning of loving someone “in sickness and in health”. Over the years, he has taught me that love is not a feeling; it’s an act of your will. He has chosen to love me, all of me (illness included), and tells me often that he wouldn’t want it (our lives) any other way. It is so wonderful to love, be loved, but is such a blessing to also be “in love”.
He has been with me through it all: the doctor’s appointments (and there have been many), the turmoil, the depression, the life altering anxiety, the victories, the “I’m done” phase, the crying, kicking, screaming, throwing myself on the bed, the “why me” phase…like I said, through it all. He has taken over the grocery shopping, meal planning, cooking, taking/picking up kids from various functions, running bunches of errands, putting up with me (which in and of itself is quite the job, see above) and all of this on top of having his own health issues as well as a very demanding, stressful job that keeps him on call for what seems like, 24/7/365. He is, for all intents and purposes, my Superman.
We were watching the movie “Touchback” the other night. If you haven’t had the chance to watch it, try to watch it. It is one of those tear jerker, emotional, inspirational type movies. There is a song at the end called “Nothing Without You” by Phil Vassar. This has now become our new song. Big Handsome plays it every chance he gets and even sent me some of the lyrics in his daily love letter to me this morning (yes, he sends me little love letter emails every morning; one of the reasons I get out of bed each day).
He is by no means perfect (even he will tell you), but one thing’s for sure, he’s perfect for me.
My hope and prayer for our children is that they find a husband/wife that is half the person my Big Handsome is.
So…here’s to you my Big Handsome J Thank you for your love and devotion, for your integrity, your work ethic, your positive attitude, your chivalry, for your example to our children of what a great husband looks and acts like, and most of all for loving me through everything. You are my hero and I’m nothing without you.
I’ll never forget the day I laid eyes on him. I was in my girlfriend’s car getting ready to leave and in the rearview mirror I saw a little red truck pull into the parking lot. I had never seen the truck before and was intrigued as to who this new-comer was. Then I saw the most beautiful male specimen (in my opinion) climb out and walk toward my brother. He was wearing a tight blue and white pullover and a pair of stone washed Edwin® jeans (it was the 80’s after all). I told my friend, “Pull back in, and let’s see who he is!” I jumped out of the car and did my best impression of a nonchalant run/walk over to my brother. My brother introduced us and immediately, the cat got my tongue! I muttered a shy, quick hello as I stood there mesmerized by the most incredible smile complete with a perfect set of pearly white teeth. I was lost in his smoldering, bedroom sea-green eyes. His set of pecs weren’t so bad either (I’m just now realizing that I’m not writing a romance novel J ). From then on my friend and I nicknamed him The Model. Let me tell you, I wasn’t the only female that night drawn to him either. He was the proverbial “chick-magnet”. I thought to myself, I’ll never have a chance with him as I stood there watching all the other girls swoon over him. But, the Lord had something else in mind.
I also had something the other girls didn’t have, a brother with whom The Model was friends. Over the next several months we became fast friends. We would talk for long periods of time and he was at our house a lot, first to see my brother, then slowly to see me (that was my hope anyway). That was 25 years ago…
Fast forward to present: As most of you know by now he is tall, dark and oh, so handsome, so much so that every time I see him I still get butterflies. He is also my best friend, lover, soul mate and someone I would lay my life down for. We have been married 21 glorious years (ok, maybe some not so glorious, but who doesn’t experience that at some point?), and have been together 25+. He has taught me the true meaning of loving someone “in sickness and in health”. Over the years, he has taught me that love is not a feeling; it’s an act of your will. He has chosen to love me, all of me (illness included), and tells me often that he wouldn’t want it (our lives) any other way. It is so wonderful to love, be loved, but is such a blessing to also be “in love”.
He has been with me through it all: the doctor’s appointments (and there have been many), the turmoil, the depression, the life altering anxiety, the victories, the “I’m done” phase, the crying, kicking, screaming, throwing myself on the bed, the “why me” phase…like I said, through it all. He has taken over the grocery shopping, meal planning, cooking, taking/picking up kids from various functions, running bunches of errands, putting up with me (which in and of itself is quite the job, see above) and all of this on top of having his own health issues as well as a very demanding, stressful job that keeps him on call for what seems like, 24/7/365. He is, for all intents and purposes, my Superman.
We were watching the movie “Touchback” the other night. If you haven’t had the chance to watch it, try to watch it. It is one of those tear jerker, emotional, inspirational type movies. There is a song at the end called “Nothing Without You” by Phil Vassar. This has now become our new song. Big Handsome plays it every chance he gets and even sent me some of the lyrics in his daily love letter to me this morning (yes, he sends me little love letter emails every morning; one of the reasons I get out of bed each day).
He is by no means perfect (even he will tell you), but one thing’s for sure, he’s perfect for me.
My hope and prayer for our children is that they find a husband/wife that is half the person my Big Handsome is.
So…here’s to you my Big Handsome J Thank you for your love and devotion, for your integrity, your work ethic, your positive attitude, your chivalry, for your example to our children of what a great husband looks and acts like, and most of all for loving me through everything. You are my hero and I’m nothing without you.
P.S.
Just told Big Handsome that I was doing a shout out to him on my blog. His
response, “Better than being shouted at!” I just gotta love my Big Handsome J
Awe, WE LOVE YOU BIG HANDSOME!
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