My Wife

One of the cool things in today’s world is the internet. It allows us to research, keep up with each other, and proclaim our thought and feelings to the world. I would like to take this opportunity to proclaim my love and thankfulness for my wife to the entire world.

There is a bit of advice that I was given years ago that I try to pass on to all single young men: marry up. Find a lady who is way out of your league and when she is not paying attention sweep her off her feet and marry her before she realizes what has just happened. Thankfully I was able to follow my own advice (although I am not sure what to tell my daughters about this theory!). My wife is way out of my league. To those of you who know us you must certainly agree.

Some of you know our story: best friends in high school, dated in college, were married by the time we were 21. Going to school, working full time, counting every penny we still managed to get our family started. It was my wife that kept us moving in the right direction, going to church, volunteering our time, enjoying the simpler things in life, and putting up with me. I am now blessed with an amazing, godly, and beautiful woman to go home to every night as well as 4 happy and healthy children.

It is with our children that I do not thank my wife enough. Our kids are phenomenal in their actions, attitudes, respectfulness, and manners. Of this I take no credit, it is my wife’s doing. Her love and time she gives to our kids amazes me. The way she knows each of them and how to help them, love them, and praise them truly blows me away. I often feel guilty that I do not help enough, it is my hope that she truly knows just how much I appreciate her in all she does.

Of these 4 kids our newest one has truly been the greatest challenge. It has been a little over a year since I felt the calling to bring “J” to live with us. I have not forgotten that it was I who started our family down this journey, with my wife quickly agreeing to and taking the lead in the quest to bring “J” home. So it is I who has created this extra work and stress for my family, of whom none would ever change our minds or neither do we regret the decision to bring “J” here. We would not trade J for anything in the world, she is truly one of our children. Yet I do not tell my wife thank you enough for being the amazing women she is and truly being the “mom” J needs.

It breaks my heart to hear her tell me about the looks, the judgments and whispers that she receives in how she is parenting J. She gives J what she needs, regardless of what others think. She loves J continually even as I watch J test and try to push away that affection. She finds time to love each of our children, be their biggest cheerleader, encouraging them daily no matter what obstacles are in her life. She truly is amazing.

So I leave you with this, I still advise young men to marry up. I am not sure why God allowed me to be blessed with such an amazing wife, and I often do not voice my appreciation to him enough. Thank you God for my wife, for her saying “yes” to me almost 13 years ago, for allowing me to wake up with her by my side each and everyday, for allowing me to have her as the mother to my children, to be my soul mate, and to put up with me everyday. She truly is the love of my life.

Tony