The Husband

I love being married! It's pretty much awesome and my husband is a rockstar.

My home office is a mess (they say all the creative ones are...) and I've got sticky notes all over the wall behind my computer - I probably should invest in a cork board... They say things like quotes I've liked or my current goals or future ideas for goals and stuff. But there're two small sticky notes that have one of Elizabeth Barret Browning's poems on them in tiny writing:

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of everyday's
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with a passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints, --- I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life! --- and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.

I usually don't like poetry unless it rhymes (you know, like Silverstein, Suess), I'm sure it has something to do with my literary immaturity. Anyway, I love this poem. Mostly because I'm a sap. But in my sap with the sappy thoughts I've had after having lunch with a 50-year-old-ish friend of mine who's only wish is to find a husband, I thought I'd write my top-ten reasons I love mine:

1. he fixes my car (or gets it fixed)
2. he always makes the budget even out if I go over with buying food or clothes
3. he must immediately remove his shirt when he comes home from work
4. he always follows the rules
5. he never yells (ever)
6. he feels passionately about swearing and even though he's calm, quiet, and never yells, I watched him tell off a basketball referee at a game for doing it so much
   
7. he always wants to do better
8. he'd give me whatever I wanted
9. he grows a beard just to shave a mustache and gross me out
10. he always makes to-do lists
11. he cleans with amazing speed

I know that's 11. They just came so fast. Being married is awesome. I remember being newly paralyzed and thinking that no one would ever want me anymore. Who could look past something so blatantly wrong with me?I guess someone :)

We got married 3 years ago. I was on my honeymoon on the 4th anniversary of being paralyzed.

Here's us yesterday in Logan. He drove me to my talk because 1. he always comes to my talks on the weekends, and 2. he would have anyway because it was so far. My husband = awesome.

(yes, he is currently growing a beard with the intent to shave a mustache and gross me out)