When I was pregnant with Chloe we were living with my parents and Mom was there to do pretty much everything I needed help with. When I was pregnant with Hannah Jeff and I were going through a really rough period in our marriage and most of the time it was a mutual lets just get by & do what we have to do. With this pregnancy Jeff and I are much closer, we have grown individually and together as a couple. Part of what helped us through our rough time was Gary Chapman's 5 Love languages book and marriage seminar. Through that we learned how to really see when one of us was expressing their love and how to communicate it in a way the other person can understand. (For those who have read the book my expressions are physical touch and quality time. Jeff's expressions are acts of service and words of affirmation.)
Over the past few months I have been having a rough time with hip pain, the kidney infection, being tired, and not physically being able to do what I think I should be doing. My schedule has also been crazy almost to the point of being stressful at times b/c I have too many balls I have had to juggle. There are times when I will be bent over rocking my hips to relieve some of the pain; Jeff will see me and take a few minutes to rub my low back & hips. The other day we had been shopping and I was exhausted and my feet hurt. Without me mentioning anything to him he gave me a foot massage... I can't remember him spontaneously doing that with either of the previous pregnancies!
Jeff has also started helping me with some of the household things. I have come home several times to find that he has unloaded and reloaded the dishwasher. He took initiative with my spring cleaning list of things that need to be done and even did some of the things that I had planned on doing myself. I now know that those times he washes the dishes, mows the lawn, makes the bed, cleans the floors, and even when he lets me take a nap by keeping the girls quite he is really saying how much he loves me and how valued I am to him. So today I want to thank him publicly.
Jeff I appreciate all of the little things you do around the house, the time you spend with me, the time that you take for our girls, and all the other little things you do that others may take for granted I treasure and value! Thank you for stepping up and being a great husband and Daddy!!!
Very well said Michelle. All marriages have there problems but it is the love and commitment to God, each other and your girls that will get you through the hard times. I am glad you were able to express your feelings for Jeff in such a beautiful way.
ReplyDeleteLove you,
Aunt Kristi