Aaron...

So, being with my husband for the past 7 weeks, almost non-stop, has definitely given me a fresh perspective on him. To be perfectly honest I thought that after the first week or two I would have been dying to get him back to work, and not because of finances. As his sisters definitely know, Aaron is silly. And not just silly, ornery. Not ornery in the dictionary sense, which is: having an irritable disposition (Merriam-Webster). I call him ornery because when I sit down to read a book he's suddenly there, in my face, demanding that I kiss him after each chapter. Or when I'm relaxing and he jumps on me or tickles me or tries to distract me in any way possible. This is one reason why I was so excited to have children... they would distract him! And I must give my girlies serious props because they are so good at it. I think they get it from Aaron. : D

The past seven weeks have actually been quite wonderful. Yes, there is financial worry, but I have enjoyed being with my husband. I have always known he's a good father, but I have seen him, everyday, interacting with our daughters and he is such a great dad. He lets the girls tackle him and wrestle with him at their every whim, he does science experiments with them each day (there IS a 2 a day limit though). Just yesterday he acted out "The Billly Goats Gruff" with the girls, using a wooden bench as a bridge and making the best troll voice I've ever heard. Our daughters truly love and adore their daddy, and it makes my heart full.

Another thing I've come to appreciate in this situation has been the time for us to work on our relationship. Something that I thought had the potential to push us apart and stress our relationship has brought us closer together. Aaron's unending optimism used to frustrate me because I felt I was the only one who stressed, but I have since realized that he is like that to offset me. I am so thankful to Heavenly Father for providing me with a husband who, when put with me, helped to create a complete person.

I love Aaron because...

1. ...of his sillyness. I know I get frustrated by it, but it's a big part of why I fell in love with him.

2. ...he loves his family. He has such respect for his parents and great relationships with his siblings. It reminded me of how I feel about my family.

3. ...in anything he does, it's always done to the best of his ability.

4. ...he strives to be a worthy Priesthood holder. I never realized how important this is until we got married. I'm thankful he's worthy to bless members of our family when needed and to receive inspiration to guide us.

5. ...he has a strong desire to finish his education. School has always been so incredibly important to me, and it's wonderful that he shares in my desire to finish.

6. ...I know that he loves our children.

7. ...he'll try any food, anytime.

8. ...he works hard to provide for us. In Iowa Aaron would work sometimes 90 hours a week, becoming a zombie on his days off. He'd sacrifice many hours of those precious days off to make sure his students were getting what they needed from him. He is the hardest worker I know.

9. ...he's cute. : D

And 10. ...he loves me. It's as simple as that. No matter what my faults or shortcomings, I know he loves me.

I love and appreciate my wonderfully quirky husband, and I'm so glad we lost our jobs!