Here is a story of a year in love, multiplied by sixteen. Here is a story of growing together, growing old together. Here is the story of a passionate and nurturing love. Here is JMom’s story, and the thanksgiving that goes with it. 

Our 16th anniversary fell this week and so did his birthday so I thought I would write about what makes me grateful to have him in my life. I’m talking about my husband of sixteen years. The more I think about what I love the most about him, it becomes apparent to me how the little things in life are what really makes life worthwhile. No, it’s not the earth shaking moments or expensive gifts that I appreciate the most, it’s the everyday mundane things that are often taken for granted that sticks to my heart.

I always joked that the reason I married him was because he promised to always wash the dishes for me. Friends and family told him he was crazy to want to marry me. MY friends and family warned him. The poor guy went for it anyway, claiming he was getting a great deal. I happen to disagree. I got the better deal.

I am borrowing Ruth and Lara’s example and go back through this year.

JANUARY – He cleaned the house and paid the bills for me. The girls and I came home from our Philippine vacation to a clean house, warm food in the oven, and I found out he even paid the bills on the first of the month so I can just relax when I got home.

FEBRUARY – He gave me a foot rub. When I first met him, he couldn’t touch my feet without me breaking into a laughing fit. I was that ticklish. But it’s one of those things that he likes to do when we are just laying around watching TV. He would hold my feet and absentmindedly rub it. I guess I got used to it and even grew to like it after all these years.

MARCH - He made soup. He’s not too big on soups but I am, especially when I am feeling sick. I had another bout of the cold, the kind that knocks me out and I just want to stay in bed sleeping. He made chicken soup with rice (arroz caldo), his version of it, and it was good!

APRIL – He eats fish. Well, it’s not just this one time that he ate fish. He eats fish all the time now but there was a time when he wouldn’t touch fish. It wasn’t until after he married me that he started eating fish. He claims I slowly poisoned his tastebuds with patis (fish sauce). I think it’s one of the sweetest things because he gave something he hated a second try because he knew I couldn’t live without seafood. Now, he is my sushi partner. His family still can’t believe he’s eating raw fish.

MAY – He makes me a mother. I mean he makes me a better mother. He never fails to remind me what a great job I’m doing and he always reminds the girls to appreciate the things their mother does for them. When I slip on my mothering duties, he’s there to take up the slack. He thinks his mother is a goddess. Who wouldn’t love a man who appreciates his own mother?

JUNE – He weeds the garden for me. I love having a garden and I love spending time outside in the garden. I love getting vegetables and herbs to cook from the garden. I don’t like weeding or digging in the garden; so he does that for me. I blog about my garden, I boast about the tomatoes and beans and herbs from my garden, but actually, it is not my garden it is his. His plan, his sweat, his toil that goes into our garden that I love so much. He lets me take credit for it and just shakes his head with a smile when I tell him I got another comment about how great MY garden is.

JULY – He vacations with me. July is usually our time together. We send the girls to grandmas house for the summer and we use this time to reconnect with each other. Sometimes we just sit and talk for hours. Talk about our day, about the kids, about friends, about us, and anything that comes to mind. We take short get aways on the weekend, if it’s nothing but going for a walk on the beach or just on a short drive to anywhere.

AUGUST – He lets me go. He always says he hates the times when the girls and I are away from him. He says he is miserable, missing us. But family is very important to him and he would never deprive us time spent with family so he lets us go. Every summer and other occasions when we want to spend time with family, he lets us go.

SEPTEMBER – He pushes me. No, not physically He pushes me to do things for ME. Sometimes I get so into doing things for the girls or for him that I deny myself some of the things I enjoy. He is the first one to encourage me to go for it; no matter what IT may be.

OCTOBER - He is the father I would want for my children. When the girls were young, he always said he will need a shot gun and that they would not date until they were thirty. It was the homecoming dance and he found out his oldest daughter will be going with a boy she likes. He didn’t reach for the shot gun (he doesn’t have one), instead he talked to her about boys and told her that they are all bad. Hehe! No, he didn’t do that. He talked to her candidly about being honest with us, about her relationships with friends and boyfriends, about sex. Yep, they actually had THE talk, much to his daughter’s chagrin. Now, he sits in the parking lot after school everyday, waiting for them to finish socializing with their friends. When they have friends who need a ride or need to come to our house, he lets them.

NOVEMBER – His time. November is HIS month. Our wedding anniversary is two days before his birthday and he planned it that way. He said he didn’t ever want to forget our anniversary, so he chose our wedding date as close to his birthday as possible. LOL! That’s also why Thanksgiving is both of our favorite holiday. We have much to be thankful for in November.

DECEMBER - The man can laugh. I don’t think I would every marry anyone who couldn’t make me laugh. He laughs. He laughs heartily, and he laughs at my stupid jokes. He isn’t afraid to have fun and to make fun of himself. When I am being silly, he just laughs and shakes his head. He indulges me and the girls and most importantly, he is still blind after 16 years. Love is blind but he will disagree with you.