For Family Night this week, we got out the kids' baby blessings which we did an audio recording of back when they had them, and then transcribed and put in each of the their scrapbooks. For our activity, they each read theirs to the family. As I was going through their scrapbooks looking for their blessings, I was overwhelmed with how fast they are each growing up! I was also touched at how specific and on target Robert was in the blessings he gave each of the kids, even though at the time he had only known them for a few weeks. Each child had been promised amazing things, some of which had come to pass and others that haven't quite yet. Robert always has given such wonderful blessings, and actually I have never really heard ones quite as specific and beautiful as the ones he has given our children. I have always known what a gifted father he is, but this past week I was reminded when I flipped through the kids scrapbooks and saw how hands on he is with them. There were picture reminders of him painting Madison's fingernails, changing Christian's diaper (at age FOUR) on the grounds of the Nauvoo Temple, teaching the kids to golf, volunteering in their classrooms, dates with them, sleeping with them on the trampoline, camping trips, and many more pictures of him teaching, teaching, teaching them. Oh, and the amazing fact that for a long time, he actually put together the scrapbooks WITH me. When he gets home from work, the first words out of his mouth are usually, "What needs to be done?" We are an excellent tag team, with each of us doing homework with the kids and giving attention needed until they are in bed. Also, Ashton has been really sick for about 6 days now and I have watched at how attentive Robert has been to him, actually insisting when I attempt to take over that he get his opportunity to help Ashton even when it was in the middle of the night. When I hear how other families function with clear delineation of what the father and mother are supposed to do, I am so thankful that it has never been that way for me. Robert is every bit as nurturing, compassionate, and hands on, as I have ever been--if not more so. He really could be the mom and the dad just fine without me! I do much of the yard work because I enjoy it, and he plays quite a bit with the kids because he enjoys that more than I do. Our jobs are often interchangeable and mostly defined by what we each prefer to do most. Boy do I like the way things run in our family! And I am so thankful for him. Wonderful, splendid him. I found this quote the other day that best describes what I feel a marriage should be:
“I hold this to be the highest task of a bond between two people: that each should stand guard over the solitude of the other.”
–Rainer Maria Rilke, Letters to a Young Poet
He guards my solitude, and for that I am the luckiest.
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| Madison taking her first steps to Robert |
4 comments:
That's how a marriage is supposed to be for sure! What a great guy you have!
It is true that I have found that when I try to force either myself or my husband into playing out some preconcieved role of how we are "suppose" to interact with our children or each other then everyone just ends up feeling miserable. When I allow us as parents to act on our own talents and interests everyone is left feeling better loved, nurtured, and supported. These are also the times that we love being parents.
LOVE reading this. Mike and I have a very similar relationship. I know very few people in my associations that feel really positively about their marital relationship. We are blessed.
You guys really are a great team, both putting forth equal parts effort. You've always been a great example to me of a healthy, loving, equal relationship!
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