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By Melissa on January 30, 2011 in Down syndrome

I’m going to brag on hubby for a little bit here. It’s his birthday and we’re doing the usual – presents and cake.

But I wanted to take it all a step further and share just how wonderful this man is.

Hubby is patient and calm. His words are few but when he does speak, it’s something worth hearing. I’ve never heard him say an unkind word about anyone and I can count the number of times he’s sworn on one hand. He works hard and works without complaint.

He loves unconditionally and without bounds. I have watched him love and dote on his daughter these last 8 months with a gentleness I could never have imagined and with a steadfastness that brings tears to my eyes. When he comes home from work, Rowenna lights up and the two of them ooh and aah and babble at each other in a way that fills my house with love and lights up my own heart. He loves me fiercely, faults and all.

But his love doesn’t stop with Rowenna and I. His spirit draws in those around us, and to be honest, I’m not sure he’s even aware of the effect he has on people. He’s an old soul, easy to be around, comfortable in his own skin. He lives with conviction but never talks about it. He just does what he sets out to do without looking for praise or recognition. If you try to praise him, he just shrugs it off with a smile.

While we were in college, one of his friends wrote an article for the school’s paper about him. It was a rather glowing tribute to hubby’s laid-back, gentle personality. His friend wrote it because he just couldn’t believe how calm and happy hubby was about getting married while still a student. I still pull out that article from time to time and smile. Hubby might be all kinds of humble, but I am darn proud to be married to this man, a man who inspired his friend to write an article when most of that school paper is filled with album reviews, bad poetry, and the occasional musings on political goings-on.

He’s been on this earth for 26 years now and has already touched so many. There are still days I cannot believe he picked me to be his partner in life, and there are days I cannot believe Rowenna has such a wonderful dad. I am so thankful to be so blessed. I think often of the quote from our faith we used on our wedding program:

Praise be to God, those two faithful birds have sought shelter in one nest.

Praise be to God, indeed. I love you, hubby, and I know Rowenna does, too. And while this is not the most flattering picture of myself, it is one of my favorite pictures of us because it so beautifully demonstrates hubby’s love and patience.