Wednesday, August 06, 2014

Happy Birthday, Baby

Is this cheating? I posted the following in honor of the Charming and Beautiful Susan's birthday. But as I read through it, I don't think I can top it.

Truly, this is the most amazing woman I know. She is the greatest mom, wife, and friend in the world. She has rescued me in so many ways.

 three-of-us
"Your soul-mate doesn't exist. You don't find a soul-mate. You become soul-mates." That's the opinion of the Charming and Beautiful Susan, the woman that has become my soul-mate. Tomorrow, August 7, is her birthday.

I've known this woman for most of my life. More than half of it, anyway. We married before I was 21 years old. I don't know how to properly express how blessed I am to be with this woman.
She's a heroic woman. All she does is take care of other people. She takes care of Allie, our handicapped daughter. She takes care of me. She takes care of her sister who is losing her sight and can no longer drive. That's Susan's life. She constantly gives herself away and pours herself out for others. Susan is too busy to complain, and she wouldn't anyway. She's the most fulfilled person I know.

If you've followed our story at all [learn more here], you know that Susan has a huge heart. When Allie was hospitalized, Susan had one mission: take care of this little girl no matter what the cost. There was no discussion. We both knew that we were going to do whatever it took to take care of Allie. We were going to bring her home. It was my intention when I first got onto a plane headed for San Francisco where Allie was so tragically hurt, that I was going to bring Allie back home to Florida. Susan had boarded a plane with her one carry-on to join me a week later with the intention of bringing Allie home. We didn't know that it would be two years before the state of California would legally release Allie into our care and come back to Florida.

While we were figuring out our new life with a severely handicapped child on our hands, I was not a fun person to be around. I allowed myself to become bitter, biting. I was cynical and condescending in conversations, always taking the opposite side in an argument. I found it difficult to value others.
But the Charming and Beautiful Susan exudes grace. I can't think of anyone I'd rather partner up with and do this life with. God has used her in my life to tame me and shape me into a human being.
There's a reason we take vows when we get married. There has to be something stronger than mere words and romantic feelings. They both fade shortly after the wedding. Life is hard. For some reason we think a day will arrive when we get to coast. But that day never comes. But you can live wisely and satisfied with someone you can give yourself away to. That lightens the load, but nobody gets to live on Easy Street. That's why God sends each of us a helper - someone to do life with. You become soul-mates with that person.

I can't imagine doing life with anyone other than Susan.

Happy birthday, baby. I'm going to do my best to make this the best year you've ever had.

2 comments:

Luann said...

*love*

Cobbler House said...

Sounds like a Proverbs 31 woman. The Lord has blessed you. I have been blessed the same...

Stay strong my brother-in-Christ and strive with all your might to love your wife, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. Ephesians 5:25-27

Blessings,

-Rubén