merci.

I'm your guy and you're my girl! (that's a little tune we sing from time to time)

Today I am thankful for Josh.

I'm just going to straight up give you a sappiness warning. I tried to censor the sap but it's hard to do that when I'm just being honest.  

 I could spend at least 30 days straight writing about why and how I am thankful for Josh! I was going to hold out for a bit before writing this post because it's one of the easiest things to be thankful for because he's just so awesome! What made me decide to go for now was the briefing I went to last night for spouses preparing for their partners to return from Afghanistan. Listening to the social worker go through the points of what to expect, what some hardships might be and suggestions for this transition time, made me realize I truly did marry the greatest guy out there! Our time apart has certainly not been easy but Josh has been so amazing through out all of it and I know will only continue with that once he comes home! So many of the points that were mentioned didn't even apply, which I attribute to Josh being who he is and all the great things he brings into our relationship. That's not to say soldiers who do have those struggles are any less than Josh because I can only imagine how difficult it is and there are a wide range of circumstances in which soldiers are returning home to. 

In my opinion, what has significantly contributed to the ease of transitioning back and forth from life together and apart is Josh's pursuit of simply serving me. There have been many times even during the past when he could have reacted negatively or harshly to something I brought up. Instead of deferring to his tendency to get defensive, he steps back to think of what I need in that moment and how he can serve me. Honestly, I'm not always deserving of this but he does it for me anyways, which is so important in helping diffuse what ever has got me so worked up (...and sometimes it doesn't take much!). During the briefing they talked about soldiers acting angrily towards their loved ones, which is a perfectly normal experience that all the other women shared in their experience. However, I don't feel Josh ever went through that because he was so concerned about giving me what I needed that his needs came second. I think I'm the one with the anger problems in this situation, which is yet another thing Josh deals with in love and grace towards me. What a great guy!

Another one of Josh's strengths is his sense of humour. Yes, there are moments (quite few actually) when I've had a hard time with his silliness and jokes but we have both grown so much in this area and I can confidently say I'm thankful for my goofy guy! He has been so thoughtful during this time to balance his silliness with seriousness and he does that mostly for me. However, I absolutely love the ways he makes me laugh because it's so unique to Josh. He's just so quarky and I think one of the funniest things is that he genuinely cracks himself up. Sometimes I laugh more at this fact than the actual funny thing! His sense of humour is so much a part of who he is that his alter-ego, "Sleepy Josh", is a total goof ball who will make jokes and talk in silly voices even though Josh is completely asleep. I miss just joking around with him and I'm so thankful for all the fun that we have together! I'm also thankful for the ways Josh forgives me for when I'm a fun killer and he reminds me that life doesn't always have to be serious!

I'm thankful for Josh's desire to grow and mature in his own character so that he can be a better husband and the best version of himself possible! His willingness to learn is amazing, which is evidenced in the small notebook he carries around and keeps notes about things to work on. I'm thankful that he forgives me for not always being patient as he continues to grow in certain areas or as fast I should like. I am thankful for all the ways he has grown over the years, especially in the past year. The changes in his life from even 2 1/2 years ago is huge and I trust that they're not just surface changes because I see the dedication, commitment and desire he puts into becoming the best man possible. I'm thankful that he lets me help him and listens to my suggestions (ahem...ok maybe sometimes they come across more as criticisms) even though I have the tendency to repeat them like I'm beating a dead horse (I don't like that cliche but it perfectly sums up this bad habit of mine).

I'm thankful for Josh's commitment to me, which is life long and absolutely unwavering. Josh is one of the most loyal and honest people out there. My goodness, he can't even force himself to deceive me about when he's coming home even after I've given him permission, and even encouraged him to! He's always been an all or nothing guy and when it comes to me, I think we all know what end of the spectrum he has stood on since high school! His commitment also shows in tasks he undertakes whether it's helping someone move or getting through five seasons of a tv show :) 

I'm thankful for all the ways he's contributed to my life and made me a better person. One of the biggest influences is his ability to help me not stress about things, which I'm noticing is a struggle to do when he's not here. He has helped me become so much healthier mentally because I was basically torturing myself with stress and worry, which he shows me is unproductive and harmful. I do have relapses though but in those moments I can rely on him to help set my priorities straight and regain some perspective. I have to admit that the classic saying, "opposites attract" is fairly accurate in our relationship because in so many ways we are complete opposites! This can divide people but it can also bring closer together than ever when they're willing to allow the other's strengths to build up their own weaknesses. Even though it can drive me crazy how particular Josh is about keeping things organized, I have to admit it is rather helpful when I'm running around at the last minute looking for that last little thing I need before heading out the door. Being with Josh has made me a better person and he continues to challenge me to only further grow and develop myself. Thanks guy!

I could go on and on...and on with sharing how amazing Josh is but I'm going to wrap it up with this last piece. I'm thankful for how Josh makes me feel. He always makes me feel listened to, even when what I'm saying isn't something he agrees with or necessarily appreciates. He goes out of his way to make me feel loved every single and doesn't let a day go by when he doesn't remind me how beautiful and cherished I am. He makes me believe in myself and gives me confidence when I struggle. And, although some women might not like this, he most definitely treats me like a princess and I like it! (not the snobby, too good for you princess though but he does like to spoil me like I'm a princess!). 

What can I say, my husband is great and I truly could not have asked for anyone better! Trust me, I'm a picky girl (haha something I'm also thankful for Josh dealing with in grace and forgiveness). I'm so proud of who he is and who he is striving to become. He has all of my confidence, belief and, of course, my love. I appreciate him for everything he does for me. And after a year of marriage, I'm even happier than the day I married him to get to spend the rest of my life with him! Some things were just meant to be I suppose :)