I Love My Husband

(I should note that, when titling this post, I was first given the option of "I Love Beer" as a suggested title. Maybe next time...)

I will probably embarrass him greatly by doing this, so I'll try not to get too verbose, but since I waxed eloquent about the kids last time, I thought it was only fitting to do the same for my brilliant husband, Stephen. First I will open with a list of some of the books (only some--there are others scattered in various locations about the house) Stephen is reading. These particular books are located at the top of the hated rickety bookshelf:

• The Ballad of the White Horse, by G.K. Chesterton
• Thirteen Detectives, by G.K. Chesteron
• Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger, by Ronald Sider
• Productive Christians in an Age of Guilt Manipulators, by David Chilton (as I understand it, an answer to Rich Christians)
• White Walls: Collected Stories, by Tatyana Tolstaya
• Off Main Street: Barnstormers, Prophets and Gatemouth's Gator, by Michael Perry
• The Discoverers: A History of Man's Search to Know His World and Himself, by Daniel J. Boorstin
• The God Theory: Universes, Zero-Point Fields, and What's Behind It All, by Bernard Haisch

And just finished last night (I know this because I found him TYPING A SUMMARY of it after the kids were in bed): Quantum Physics and Theology, by John Polkinghorne. Oh, yeah, and for over a year and a half he has been reading Gibbons' volumes on Rome. I'm honestly surprised I'm not finding anything on Constantinople, his pet historical obsession. Also, some of these are our books, some are from the college library, and some are from the city library. And one is from Chaplain Benson's library.

Is anyone else just awestruck by this kid? You need to understand that this is just the home list. He is a professor of astronomy at Olivet Nazarene University, and at work, in his office, which is bursting with books, magazines, and academic articles, he is reading even more. He even reads relevant articles online, some of which he sends me, and most of which go over my head. Now Steve is not normally a multi-tasker, but for some reason he is able to keep seventeen separate books going at the same time, a talent that completely eludes me, reader though I am. And all these books are just so bookish! My vampire love saga seems so terribly small (and pale--haha! Vampires, get it?) in comparison.

He reads because he has an insatiable desire to learn. He is truly an academic. He has his masters in physics (no small feat) and is now actively pursuing acceptance into the field of the history of science in order to earn his PhD. (We'll know in the spring whether he has been accepted to any of the three state schools to which he has applied. If you'd like, keep The University of Chicago in your prayers--it's the top-tier for his field and our top choice.) He believes in being a life-long learner and accumulator of knowledge, and he is always garnering now skills, new perspectives, and new information. He is brilliant.

In addition to reading, he is also an avid writer. I've posted on it before, but he is a published author of poetry and prose, including academic writings. His first short story was recently published, and he continues to submit more works of fiction for publication. Any proceeds from his publications go into one of two savings accounts we have open: "Travel to Alexandria" or "Adoption."

My husband loves our children. As I type this at eight o'clock in the morning, he is upstairs with the boys, where he has spent the night as they are coming down with something nasty and haven't slept a wink. (His job is flexible, so no need to rush in too early after such a rough night.) He takes the responsibility of the boys at night and does a great job doling medicine, changing diapers, and unstopping snot-filled noses. He is intimately familiar with their routine and never hesitates to jump in and take charge of kid-related matters. The only thing he really doesn't like is giving baths to any of the kids, but even this chore he will do if needed, without complaint. When Charlotte is fussy, he straps her into the baby carrier and goes about his chores and duties, both calming her and completing tasks. He loves to play with the boys and has a fantastic gift of relating to them without being babyish. In short, he is a wonderful father.

Hand-in-hand with being a wonderful father is being a wonderful husband. He wordlessly takes care of the dog, the cat, the recycling, the trash, the vacuuming, the watering of plants, the dishes, and various little tasks throughout each day. If ever I ask him to add something to his list of chores, he does it gladly and willingly. He leaves me notes and little gifts on a regular basis, and delights in surprising me and making me happy. Currently he is working on secret Christmas operations, and every so often he'll sing a little song about how the Christmas elves are working very, very hard, only to giggle (yes, giggle) merrily when I demand to know just what they have been doing. When he can he treats me to dates, and he never complains if the kids get in the way of "our" time. He works hard so that I can stay at home, and he labors tirelessly over our budget and our finances so that, while we are by no means rich, we are at least stable from month to month. He makes the calls (to doctors, to insurance providers, to anyone else wanting our money) that I don't like to make, and I never hear him complaining about such hated tasks. He brings me down to earth when my plans and wants get beyond ourselves, and he knows when to say "yes."

In short, he is my perfect partner, and I love him.