23 things I love about my husband

My husband and I passed our 23rd anniversary this year. We've been married long enough that people coming to our home for the first time look at our wedding picture and ask, "Who is that?" We've been married long enough to have seven children, two high school graduates, one surgery, more than a dozen emergency room visits and several very memorable family vacations. Long enough to often read each others thoughts, though also long enough to know which thoughts are best left unspoken. Probably long enough to have a few secrets as well.


I wanted to write this post for our anniversary, June 30, but it was a day like many others we've shared - we were preparing for a houseful of company arriving the next day! The company stayed for a month, I left hurriedly for a family emergency and we all spent a month traveling, so I am just now writing 23 things I love about my husband, nearly 3 months later!

Here they are, in no particular order.

1. He drinks coffee in bed with me late at night, and sleeps soundly anyway.

2. He believes I could write a book.

3. He can fix anything from cars to washing machines to bikes to plumbing disasters.

4. He has the best moustache since Joshua Chamberlain in the movie Gettysburg.

5. He's not afraid of blood so he can handle all the stitches, loose teeth, bloody noses, injured pets and worse that occur in our family.

6. He encourages me to be much braver than I feel. If it were not for him I would never have parasailed, gone rock climbing, taken a three week bike trip, or had a baby!

7. He never complains about my family.

8. He loves my children as much as I do.

9. He doesn't let me get away with stuff. Sometimes I wish he would just stick up for me, but he loves me enough to call me on things if he thinks I am wrong. He wants me to be holy, not just happy.

10. He cares about my hair. He would be really disappointed if I cut it.

11. He likes my vegetarian cooking.

12. He makes flattering comparisons. Often he'll lean over and whisper, "Your bottom is much smaller than hers," or some such comforting comment. These days I especially like, "You were the youngest-looking woman in that room."

13. He buys and maintains our awesome fleet of bikes.

14. He still has all his thick, curly blond hair.

15. He likes it when I read books outloud.

16. He is a musical snob.

17. He is wise and fair and never jumps to conclusions.

18. He has the best work ethic of anyone I know. I don't always love this at the moment when it is interfering with my plans, but I really admire his integrity.

19. He does not begrudge me the Sunday New York Times.

20. He is completely trustworthy.

21. He lets me buy (almost) all the books I want, and provides me with (nearly) endless bookshelves to store them.

22. He is a really faithful friend to all his friends.

23. He knows me better than anyone and still loves me.