"The Right Choice" of a lifetime

Tomorrow I celebrate 35 years of wedded bliss with my terrific husband, Steve. As I watched him dance around the pool deck this afternoon to the tunes of the Beach Boys and Crosby Still and Nash, I smiled. I swam around the pool as he cleaned the pool filter, cleaned the grill and tables, all the while singing and dancing to the songs he loves. Goofing off like he loves to do. That's one of the reasons I fell in love with him to begin with. He always had a great sense of humor and still does. His sense of humor and his passion. That's what I love about him. He throws himself totally into something, he's not a half way guy about anything.

                                                       Here we are on our wedding day on May 26, 1978

                                    Me, Eric (Biff) and Steve in 1985, shortly after we moved into our first home.

                                                    Steve with Biff and Jordy at our friend's pool in 1992.

Boy, I thought, as I kicked my legs in the cool pool, am I ever blessed that the Lord put this unbelievable man in my life all those years ago. He has been so much more than a husband. He's without a doubt the best friend I've ever had. He's been a faithful devoted husband, an awesome father and with me through the thick and thins of living with a pretty devastating disease called multiple sclerosis.

It hasn't always been easy for me or him, but if there is a more true blue man on the planet, I sure don't know his name. As my disease has progressed and I have become more and more less mobile and able to do less things around the house, he has totally picked up the ball and run with it.

                                              Steve and the kids at my folks in Englewood, October 1996

                                           Visiting San Francisco in 1997, 4 months before I was dx with MS
                                                                                        

                                                            2006 Thanksgiving in TN with the family

I am amazed at all the things he does around here. He cooks, (and might I say he is an awesome cook, much more above average than I ever dreamed) he cleans, he does the laundry, he cuts the grass and trims the yard up, he does the dishes, changes the beds - literally, he does everything to keep our home running, while still working and keeping a roof over our head. As he likes to say " I do it all" - and it really is true, he does do it all!!! What an incredible guy this is, and he belongs to me! Thank you Lord Jesus, I am so thankful.

Not only does he do so much for us, he also puts up with me, which isn't always easy I'm sure. I can be "a load" as he sometimes tells me, and I know he's right, but most of the time he's amazingly even keeled while doing the balancing act that he does.

I knew when I married him that he was a great guy with a great sense of humor and strong moral values, but let's face it, when you get married and are starting out you really don't know much about each other. You learn as you go through life, about the person you married and took those vows with before God.  Well, my guy was dead serious when he took his vows, and he has been faithful to every single one of them. Genesis 2:24 says "That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh."  We definitely have become one flesh, just as the Lord wanted us to be. We are truly blessed.

When you get married, your spouse either rises or falls to the occasions that life throws your way. Well, I'm here to tell you and shout it to the world, that my guy has risen way above any expectation I ever had of what a good husband should be.

                                                                      At our home in NC with Buck! 

                                                 

                                                     Our growing family at Biff and Jessi's wedding in 2011.

Let me say in closing, Steve, I love you. I am so happy and will be forever thankful that you picked me to be your wife. Thank you for always standing by me through the many ups and downs of this short life we live on earth. It hasn't always been easy, but it sure has been worth it.

I'm so happy that you accepted Jesus all those years ago because I know we will get to spend eternity together. I couldn't imagine spending it with anybody else because you are my love of this life and my eternity. Thank you Lord. And when we get to heaven, I'll be able to dance right along side you cause I'll have a brand new body! Boy, isn't that something to look forward to - for both of us!!!

Thank the Lord that I made the "Right Choice, " all those years ago, and honey I can't wait to see how much fun the next 35 years are gonna be. Onward we go!!!

All my love, forever dear~~
Nicki

My verse today is above in red.

My prayer for today:

Thank you Lord Jesus for leading my awesome husband to me all those years ago. I know I met him because he was part of the plan for my life, a plan you laid out before the foundation of the earth. Thank you that he has been a good and faithful husband and father and stayed true to his vows, even on days it must have been hard. Thank you for my family and the blessings that you have given me these last 35 years because I know they come by your Mighty Hand.

I pray,
Amen and Amen