Husband of the Year

When thinking about writing a summary post for 2011, I realized almost every great thing last year involved my amazing husband helping our family or working hard for us. Every day I feel so lucky and am grateful to be married to him.

This year started off with announcing our pregnancy with Genevieve. I knew the thought of another baby (and another person to care for!) was slightly scary for Mitch, but he was 100% supportive and on-board with everything in the pregnancy. As you know, I have really hard first trimesters in my pregnancies. I throw up about 10-20 times a day. I can’t sleep. I am nauseous all day. Mitch was there every day for me doing as much as he could before he left for work, and then trying to come home for lunch as much as he could to help with Emerson. He even told me I looked pretty every day when I was getting huge. Bless him.

Then, in February Lori and I started Plum Street Prints. Mitch is always supportive of my dreams and goals, and completely supported Lori and I, though I had a lot of late nights and subsequently cranky days when we were working on overdrive to get the shop going. He never once complained and even submitted his own ideas to help our shop (did you know he added the “Street” to Plum Street Prints? It just wouldn’t have been the same without it, right?). He also helped with every single accounting and tax detail for our shop using his amazing Excel, finance, and coding skills.

Then in March I went to see my sister after she had a baby. For 3 weeks. With Emerson. This left Mitch alone at home for longer than we’d ever been apart. It was so hard for him to have E and I gone, and he called me every night to tell me how empty and quiet the house felt. I felt so bad for him and missed him so much, but he really knows how important my sister is to me and always supports my relationship with her, even when I talk to her on the phone for hours or fly to see her for nearly a month. Not only did he not complain when I left, but he used his alone time at night to completely re-do Emerson’s bedroom for me, as well as put crown molding in our house.

In the summer he was on full throttle as husband of the year when in a 2 week period I had Genevieve and then blew out my knee. When I had Genevieve he was back and forth several times a day between our house and the hospital, to spend time with Emerson and to make sure I was okay. He brought me many goodies and nice meals in the hospital to make my recovery easier.

When I blew out my knee he immediately let his work know he had to take some time off to help me. That first week he stayed home every day with the kids and I, watching them all day so I could rest and bringing the baby to me when she needed to eat, and also bringing me meals. Then, when I had ACL surgery he stayed overnight with me in the hospital, feeding Genevieve and sleeping in a tiny chair so he could be with me. I could barely get out of bed for the first week when I got home. He helped me do everything from shower to get my socks on. I can’t even tell you what a hard time that was for me. I honestly couldn’t do anything for myself, and Mitch just stepped in and did everything. He kept the house clean, kept Emerson happy by taking him on outings every day, and kept my spirits up by watching movies with me and brining me treats after work.

And at the end of the year Mitch was offered an awesome job with his dream company in Minneapolis. I am so so proud of all his hard work. If you don’t know, Mitch is seriously a genius. He is the smartest person I’ve ever met. He multiplies fractions in a second off the top of his head. He has a photographic memory. But you never see him brag about that because he is humble and kind. I look up to him so much. He has always followed the spirit in his career decisions and decisions pertaining to our family, and I really feel like he is being blessed for that. I am grateful that even though this has been a year full of trials and challenges, it has also had many blessings and I have Mitch to thank for most of those.

And now, things have been extremely hectic getting ready for this move—every day we’ve been overwhelmed with all the calls and errands and planning we’ve had to do. Every single day from here until our move is booked with a million things to do, but he helps me with everything and calms me down when I get too stressed.

Sorry for the sappy stream of consciousness homage to my husband, but my heart has been full of gratitude to him this year. I can’t imagine my life without him.