Taken for Granted.

Some days I think I take Jake for granted. I came to this realization today while reading sister in law Sarah's blog about her husband (Jake's brother Adam). So I am going to take a quick minute and brag about my amazing husband.

1. He's brilliant! Not only for marrying me : P but for the inventive ways he keeps the kids busy and entertained on a daily basis. Lots of dad's say they wish they could stay home with their kids (becasue they think its a kooshy job) but it is truely the most difficult job on earth.

2. He has moved heaven and earth to keep our family together. In the last 18 months he drove from Chicago to Columbus, GA. Then from GA to South Carolina to pick me up from basic (after spending 3 months as a single dad to two toddlers in diapers). He dealt with the crazy weeks of me in OCS only being home on weekends. Then when I left again for Oklahoma, he packed the house (with two kids and no sitter) and drove all of them to our new house in Missouri. Wow you say? Then he lived for a week in a house with nothing before the movers delivered out household goods. After that he packed up the kids by himself and drove up to Wisconsin to see my brother get married and represent our family becasue I was in school. For those of you with little ones (or ones that are grown) think about how hard this had to be juggling hotels and strange places....diaper changes in truck stop restrooms all by himself and he never complained or made me feel guilty once. Amazing! We finally reunited in Missouri and were able to see eachother every day after almost a year of bouncing around the United States.

3. My mom said a friend asked her recently when Jake was going to get a job? She told that person that he was working. Being a stay at home dad to his two kids! For those of you who know my parents you know that our relationship has not always been easy and for her to recognize and defend the father of my children this way I knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that he was the best dad ever.

4. He has taught THor more about Dinosaurs and every animal you could think of. Thor is sweet and compassionate often taking care of his baby sister when she is in a cranky mood. He pretends that he is a daddy leopard and has a whole litter of babies that he tucks into bed, tells stories to and protects from the scary dark.

5. Baleigh is her daddy's little princess coming up with silly things that her dad is so proud of. THe other day when she was being quizzed about where different things come from such as "where do peanuts come from?" she didnt' miss a beat with her clever little answer of "MR Peanut".... he dad thought that was hilarious.

6. Every day I come home to pictures they have painted or drawn, clay sculptures, forts in the living room and overall happy engaged kids.

7. For my vacation he insisted I go home and spend at least a whole day with my girlfriends for my birthday. I would never have done that without his encouragement and he knew exactly what I needed. I chose the best man in the world for me. He's an amazing father, husband and best friend. I won't take him for granted anytime soon.

8. oh, and I almost forgot! He learned to cook! He is slowly taking my kitchen away from me (in a good way) so I can relax when I come home from work. His Jambalaya is to die for! try it with pasta instead of rice sometime.