I choose you

Since I didn't really keep my promise about blogging for marriage week {cause this little baby peanut is all like, "Let's do first trimester again for old time's sake!"} I'm going to try to pick up where I left off. :) 

These last couple of weeks, as school has kept Adam busy and glued to studying his notes all day, I've felt my gratitude for this man of mine grow so much. Kind of funny that the time when Adam is most busy have I felt the most gratitude. But during this time I have come to appreciate him so much more. 

See, Adam studies a lot. A lot a lot. And it shows in his schoolwork. He is #1 in his class and gets the highest marks on all his projects. But even with all that studying & all that education dedication, he is still there for me and Elijah when we need him.  

I know that most of the time it might be easier for him to study at school. Or to stay late after school and on weekends instead of study in the room listening to me and Elijah bickering most of the time... But he also knows that I appreciate him here. And that Elijah wants him here. And so he comes home and is the calming presence I need when my mothering days are rough. 

I know I take these moments for granted and I am lucky that Adam is home and spends time with us. When I hear other student wives say how their husbands are gone all day and weekend studying, usually late into the night and barely home for dinner, I feel a rush of amazement at my own husband and his sacrifice to stay home with us over being at school. And then I feel kind of guilty that even if I might feel like I'm having a rough time, I really am lucky that he's there to help out more often than he really has to. 

[and not that those couples who do that aren't happy! I know they are perfectly happy and amazing couples. I just know that would be much harder for me personally so I'm grateful Adam comes home.]

He could choose to be gone more. And that would be perfectly understandable! Anyone in our position would never fault him in his choice to use every free moment he had to study & be gone from his family at school or locked up in a room. I would even understand. And I have never demanded that he comes home instead of staying to study, I support him as much as I can to let him focus on his schoolwork as much as possible. But at the same time, he knows and I know that his choice to be with his family over schoolwork has greatly blessed our lives and make us much happier these last 2 years than anything ever could. 

And this is what I have realized has been the key to us surviving the long, tumultuous years of schooling. Choosing each other even if it means an hour or two less study time. And I think because of that choice, we have been blessed beyond measure, including great grades for Adam. :)

Choosing time. Always a key component to a happy family & marriage.