and ode to mr. anderson. how i love thee.

i feel like it's time that i publicly acknowledge how fantastic mr. anderson is.

i mean, i know i write about him, and how much i love him, blah blah blah, but he deserves much more than that.

you see, i can be compared to kate (from john and kate plus 8).  controlling, tempered, mean.

yah, and most of that junk ends up on mr. anderson.

and for some reason, even amidst the horrible person i can be, he somehow chooses to crawl into bed at night and curl up next to me.  even though i don't deserve it, and even though i usually push him away cause i'm all about my own space.

and quite frankly, i really deserve the couch most nights. (we made a pact in the beginning of our marriage to never sleep in separate beds though, so that's not happening).

i often forget to stop and think about how lucky i am.

i am married to a man who changes diapers.

cooks dinner.

goes grocery shopping.

gives baths.

goes to work all day THEN comes home and is daddy all night.

gets up with kids in the morning.

rubs my dirty feet.

prays for our family and our marriage.

sets an example to our sons, what it means to be a husband and a man.

loves his little girls like something fierce.

does elsa's hair every morning.

mows the lawn twice a week.

tends to a garden so we can have yummy veggies.

let's me start ridiculous craft projects that usually involve painting a room (for the 2nd, 3rd, 4th time).

budgets our money well.

sticks around, even when i don't deserve it.

i come from a family of divorced parents...and not just parents that are divorced but aunts, uncles, step-parents.  all have seemed to go through divorce.  and i'm not speaking badly of them and their situations, i just always knew that that wasn't what i wanted for my family.

i tend to run from things, and there have been many moments in my life where i've wanted to run from mr. anderson---but thankfully, he doesn't let me.

he doesn't give up.

he doesn't give up, so that we won't give up.

and it's not just for us...but for the many little people we have running around.

they are worth sticking it out...through the rough and hard times.

you know those times...where you feel like you can't even look at this person who is supposed to be your spouse.  or be in the same room with them?

lovely times.

we want to leave a legacy of love and marriage with our children.

and we can only hope that they carry those same values into their marriages---and their children.

so, i am here to say to you, mr. anderson:

that i love you.

and i'm thankful for you and for the fact that you put up with me and my selfishness.

and for how you sacrifice for this family, without fail every time.

i'm even willing to tattoo your name on my forehead.  yes babe, i'll do that for you.

and i am most thankful for how you love me and our children.

and whether you like it or not, i'll be around...forrrr-evvv-errr.

well, at least until i die.

and even then, i'll stick around and haunt you if i go first.

{image found here}

fabulous family photos courtesy of the parsons.