In Praise of Men

As many of you know, I'm not a morning person, not even a little.  Granted I would love credit for the large strides I have made over the years.  But still when I see neighbors at the bus stop who can hold longish and coherent conversations at 7 am, I wonder if I will ever get to that stage.

The worst case of morning dread I have ever faced was when I lived in Alaska.  It was in 2001 and I had to be at work by 6:30 every morning Monday thru Friday.  Travis didn't need to be at work until later in the day so that often times when I left our apartment for work he was still sleeping.  Not only was I miserable to be out of bed, dressed, and leaving, but I was most miserable with jealousy that he wouldn't wake up with me and therefore spare me the envy of watching him sleep as I left.  It may have been June in Alaska, it may have been light as noon day by 6 am, but still I would walk outside and it would be snowing some mornings.  These were the mornings I felt absolute rage towards the world.  These were the times I thought to myself as I had often times throughout the first year of my marriage, "when my husband gets a real career - I am going to wake up every morning with him, pack his lunch, and usher him out the door with a kiss and a flip of my leg" all June Cleaver like, making his day a better start than he has mine.

Fast forward 11 years later and Travis well engrossed into his career.  Minus a few anomalies that included an attempt at morning co working out and guilt induced efforts, I have never consistently woken up with my husband.  As someone who leaves for work well before 6 am most everyday, he is a morning person, he is the lone man awake in our house these days.  But every morning before he leaves for work he comes and we have morning prayers together, he climbs in bed with me and we cuddle and spoon for just a few last moments before he leaves.  And I know that he would rather stay in bed too.  He would rather be sleeping with me or cuddling also. 

So this post is for all the husbands everywhere with wives like myself.  I appreciate you.  I love that you go and provide for your spouses and families, that you tackle your job each day, that you wake up often when everyone else is sleeping.  Thank you.  Thank you.  Thank you.  Thank you for working and doing such a good job at it, so I don't have to.  And for Travis specifically, I love you babe.  You rock my world.