A Baker’s Dozen Worth of Reasons Why I Love My Husband

I’m kind of a project. Lately, I feel like I’ve been a bit crazier than usual, which partially explains why some of you received an e-mail notification of a post that was nothing more than a photo of me and Zach. Ooops! At any rate, my husband deserves a gold star for not running away every time he sees me coming. The emotional overload of Ella’s impending first birthday (*SOB!!!*) really has me in a tizzy and in between choking back tears and yearning to get pregnant again RIGHT NOW, I have been thinking how Zach is so good to and for me, and in so many ways:

1. Zach loves me and he shows it. He kisses me hello, goodbye, and goodnight; he holds my hand and sits close to me on the couch. He brings me flowers so often that when he and Brady go out, the boy asks, “Will we get mom flowers?” Because of Zach, Brady is growing up watching and learning the different ways a person can show his/her love. I know that because he’s learning from the best, one day in the veeeeeeeeery distant future (if I don’t chase every girl away), Brady will make a good husband. And that’s the veeeeeeeeeeeeeeery distant future, in case you didn’t get that.

2. I don’t like to cook and quite frankly, I’m not very good at it. Despite my failed attempts, Zach shovels everything into his face and tells me it’s good even when it sucks. Even after I nag him to tell me the truth, he rarely comes out and says what he’s thinking (“What the hell is this?! Are you trying to kill us?????”); he simply suggests, “It could use a little more seasoning.”

3. Zach loves and respects his mom and his grandma.

4. I can be a bit persistent at times. Translation: I’m a crazy, obsessive person when I want something. For instance, when I began working from home, I wanted to organize our office so it accommodated me and the kids. This obviously required bookshelves. Many of them. My wonderful husband drove us an hour to Ikea, we bought the shelves, loaded them in his little S-10, and went about our business. I should add that it was one of the coldest and snowiest days and Zach loathes Ikea; he likens it to herding cattle. Yeah, cattle that all want to buy really cool furniture. But because of him I have a great space to work.

5. Everything he does, Zach does for our family. When I was on maternity leave and going back and forth with the decision to return to the classroom, he offered to take a paper route to alleviate the financial burden! I don’t know too many other men with a Master’s degree who would wake at 4am to deliver newspapers to strangers so his wife could stay home with their kids.

6. Zach is hilarious! He makes me laugh every day and that’s one of the reasons I was attracted to him in the first place. That and I think he’s pretty hot.

7. I realize I am biased, but I truly believe that Zach is one of the kindest, most sincere people I know. He has a good, pure heart, and some days I wonder if I’m good enough for him.

8. I don’t know anyone who is more hard working. I’ll say it again: paper route, 4am. Zach takes pride in everything he does. Whether it’s mulching or coaching or parenting, he puts 100% into everything he does. He is an incredible role model for our kids.

9. He is fiercely loyal.

10. He has a great smile.

11. He is simple. Not simple-minded, but easy-like-Sunday-morning simple. He doesn’t have a Facebook page, he doesn’t know how to check his e-mail on his cell phone, and he has absolutely no idea what Pinterest is, and he truly does not care. He doesn’t need fancy devices or 24/7 access to technology to feel connected. I cannot relate to any of that, but he makes it work.

12. He makes funny faces with me when I’m drunk at friends’ weddings.

13. He follows my blog. Because I signed him up. Hi, Husband!!!