I married a difference maker

Around 3 a.m. this morning Elliott woke up. I tried twice to soothe him and put him back to bed, but he wouldn't have it. At 4 a.m. Andrew went in and the crying stopped for good. I went back to sleep. In the morning Andrew remarked that he would have preferred not to get up early, but he sure loved how Elliott burrowed into his chest and went back to sleep, arms hugging his dad, snoring peacefully. Andrew stayed with Elliott until he woke at 7:30. I would have complained. Andrew relished the experience. This is just one of the thousands of reasons I love my husband.

Nine years ago today Andrew and I got married. He was a foreigner (literally and figuratively) to my family. A Brit who moved here to marry me. Tattooed. Long haired. Guitar playing. Not an evangelical. My family loves me and were welcoming and gracious, but I don't doubt that many wondered if I knew what I was doing. Some probably still do.

Two years ago I wrote a list of ten things I love about Andrew. I think it's a sign of a great marriage that the list continues to grow. And he never stops surprising me. Here are some of this year's examples:

:: He is a stickler for not being taken advantage of by people who try to bend the rules but he is incredibly generous to those who don't ask for anything.
:: He is an active part of our church's mission committee, plays with the worship team almost every Sunday, helps run the Friday night movie series and has found many of his dearest friends among that body even though he has never been or would ever think of himself as "a church person."
:: He doesn't own anything that he wouldn't happily part with, including his hair.
:: He has never exercised or played a sport and he is more than halfway to a black belt.
:: He is the world's best Mr. Mom.
:: He has never ridden a school bus and will for the first time with Liam tomorrow when they go on a field trip to the zoo.
:: He does laundry. Very well.
:: He understands that everything he has is a gift.
:: He cares for people on the outskirts, those who are marginalized, underrepresented and misunderstood. He is a friend to the friendless. I absolutely love this about him.
:: He is blunt and direct and funny in ways that not everyone understands. But he is who he is and he'll never be anyone different.
:: He dreamt up, organized and pulled off a guitar recital and silent auction that raised over $2,000 for a playground for our sister church and orphanage in Lithuania.
:: He thinks I am beautiful all the time.

My husband always challenges me to look beyond the surface to see what's really essential. He is not, by any means, an appearance person. He looks far deeper than that. It's too bad that some don't extend him that same grace. They are missing out on knowing a great difference maker. But I thank God that I do. I am so lucky to be married to him.