Nothing But PRIDE

It's a wonderful thing when a woman can be proud of her husband. I don't mean proud that she has a husband, or proud that he can bench-press 250 pounds. I mean proud of who he is. Unfortunately so many people present themselves one way in public, and another when they're at home. So many women love the husband that "they know is in there somewhere," but wish he'd show his loving side more frequently. I'm blessed with a fantastic guy inside and out!

I never casually dated. If I didn't see long-term potential, then the guy didn't get a second date. My philosophy was why bother wasting my time (or his). Well, Aaron automatically got that second date! But what made him stand out to me? We talked and talked and talked the first time we met, and also on our first "official date" (dinner and a movie) a month later. But, it was more than that - even our silence was comfortable.

A year later, after he proposed, my mother asked me what it was about him that I loved the most. From the perspective of the woman in his life, two of Aaron's best qualities are (1) he puts 150% into everything he does. Sometimes he struggles with which part of his life (work, family, extended family, play, etc.) should get the chief focus at any given time (as we all do). But I can never fault him for not trying. He gives everything his all. And when someone comments to the contrary (because they feel like they're getting the short end of the stick), he's wounded. (2) Aaron is always striving for self-improvement. This is a rare quality. Deep down, Aaron is still the same person he was when we met - his "majors" haven't changed, but his "minors" keep constantly improving. Since I've met him, Aaron's made a conscious decision to improve probably everything about himself (from his glasses to being less critical of others) - well, everything except his penmanship (which is simply a lost cause).

A year and a half ago, when I was deathly ill in Pittsburgh, Aaron realized that (if I survived), we would keep driving the 3.5 hours to Pittsburgh for my specialists. The big local hospital where we currently live is fabulous - just not for Pulmonary Hypertension. So he began to try to figure out how he could get us closer to the docs who are keeping me going (and happen to be some of the best PH docs in the country). Well, God has provided, and TODAY Aaron officially begins his first day working for Verizon Wireless in Pittsburgh! He managed not only to get us closer to my docs, but to get a promotion in the process! We're moving away from our friends (and his family) so that I can get better medical care. That's true love!

Our house in Mechanicsburg hasn't sold ... yet. So, he'll work out there several days a week, while I'm here with the boys. Then the rest of the week he'll work from home. He's been blessed with an understanding boss (so far anyway) and co-workers! Friends here are stepping up and helping me out while he's gone.

I've got nothing but PRIDE and ADMIRATION for this guy that God brought into my life! He's a hard-worker (but also knows when it's time to kick-back and just have fun), a great provider, a fantastic role-model for our boys, and better than the best husband I could ever imagine!

So, darling ... I wish you all the best in this next chapter of your professional life. I pray for success and satisfaction at work, for you to be surrounded by godly men who will become dear friends, and for you to keep transforming into the man you were created to be. I love you so much, and I'm SO PROUD OF YOU!