Truest Love

Lately, I've noticed that my husband has been putting forth a lot of effort to keep me happy. Don't get me wrong, he's always been considerate and thoughtful and wonderful, but lately, I've taken special notice. It's the small things like

* Washing bottles
* Sweeping and mopping the floors
* Doing extra laundry
* Telling me I'm beautiful
* Spending extra time just being with me and the kids
* Giving me extra time for me

Luke's always been different than most men. He's always been the type of husband that helps out around the house. He's always been the husband that comes straight in from work, changes his clothes then jumps into helping with the kids. He's always been the man that doesn't mind getting things done.

Lately, I've seen a change though. His nature has been different, his demeanor. Since we got Baby D, I've seen Luke through new eyes. Yes, we've bickered and been short with each other. Yes, there's been times of high stress and little sleep. But through it all, I've seen him continue to be a Godly example for our kids. I see how important it is to him with each of his interactions with our children. It brings tears to my eyes.

Just last night, we were watching TV. After a late snack, Luke gets up to take the chips back into the kitchen. He's gone a little longer than normal, but me, engrossed in TV took little note.

Later, he comes back to bed and tells me that he snuck into Lucas' room and spent some time with him.

You see, Lucas is now alone in his bedroom. Ashlee is now sharing a room with Elizabeth. That way, the girls can have a room and the boys can have a room. However, until Baby D starts sleeping better at night, Lucas is solo in his bedroom. I think he partially loves the quiet but he also misses having Ashlee in there with him. Until now, he and Ashlee have shared a room and their pre-bed and pre-nap conversations were a daily occurrence. We also just upgraded Lucas' bed to a big boy bed (queen size) and he LOVES it. It also makes it easier for us if we need to lay with him at night.

Anyway, when Luke returned to bed he told me how he had went into Lucas' room. He said that he longed to spend time with his son. Just typing that makes my eyes well up with tears. Being a child who feels as if her birth father doesn't desire her, it makes me so emotional to see a father who enjoys being with his kids.

Luke told me that he asked Lucas if he could lay with him and Lucas said, in a whisper,

Yes.

Luke crawled into bed beside him, tucked his arm between the stuffed animals, and placed his hand on Lucas' stomach. He told me how Lucas, who is by far the least cuddly of all 4 of our kids, just laid there and rubbed his Daddy's arm, back and forth, back and forth. I know, in my heart that Lucas needed Daddy time just as much as Luke needed time with his son.

Luke told me that as he sat in the silence, enjoying the moment with his son, he was reminded of how much he misses his own father. Luke's dad lives pretty far away and we usually only see him once a year. Luke remembered how little his father was around during his childhood. Then, he said, he realized how important his role is in regard to our children.

He reminded me how much he wants to be a Godly father for our kids, and how seriously he takes his role in their lives. He expressed just how important it is for him to raise Godly men, as Lucas and D grow up.

I have so many, many reasons to love this man. Just when I think that my heart could hold no more love, God steps out of heaven and into my home, pouring his blessings all over me.

I always thought you fell in love once and that was it. As I grow in my marriage, I realize that true love is love you work for. True love is a choice you make. True love remembers the little things and makes extra efforts. True love means that you love someone, even when you don't always like them. True love is kind, patient, gentle and humble.

True love isn't the number of bottles that get washed or the loads of laundry that get done.

True love is the moments you choose to share with the person you love most. True love is living together, working toward the same goal. True love is a reflection of the Father's love, which is merciful, forgiving and undeserved.

True love means falling in love with the same man over and over and over again and realizing that it never gets old.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NIV)