29 Things I Love About Michael
December 14, 2018 | My Jottings
I wrote this about Michael years ago, but it still brings me such happiness to think of him. He went to be with the Lord on February 9, 2015, and I will miss him forever…or at least until I see him again.
Our next wedding anniversary will be our thirtieth, and we’re looking forward to celebrating with a trip to the UK later this year. Today I want to share a few things I love about my husband in honor of our most recent anniversary.
I love:
1. his one-of-a-kind smile
2. the way he compliments my cooking (last night as he was eating my homemade spaghetti sauce he said, “Wonderful! Awesome! You could sell this on a corner somewhere!”)
3. his patience
4. his ability to say he’s sorry
5. the way he’s not afraid to cry
6. when he once forgot I was taking a friend to the airport for an early morning flight and searched the whole house for me, including under all the beds
7. the way he has such a soft spot in his heart for dogs, and croons to our schnauzers as they gaze at him adoringly
8. his faithfulness to me for 29 years
9. his muscular V-shaped back
10. his quirkiness
11. the way he endures his Parkinson’s with grace and humility
12. his desire to give to others
13. the way he willingly scratches the ridges in my ankles left by my SmartWool socks
14. the way he will dance a jerky little jig if anyone asks him to
15. how much loved he is by his friends
16. his big, kind eyes
17. his flexibility in scheduling
18. the way he rubs my right hand when we’re traveling to the Cities and I’m driving with my left
19. his expertise and hard work that made our house of 24 years a cherished haven
20. his love for adventure and travel
21. the way he kneels with me to pray for our children, and puts his arm around my shoulders
22. his rock-solid faith in Jesus
23. how he tells me he thinks my rear end is getting smaller when it’s not
24. how he makes me feel young and pretty even when I see old and frumpy in the mirror
25. how he would never, ever leave
26. his call to me to come and read the Bible with him in the morning
27. how he thinks our daughters are the finest young women to ever walk the earth
28. the way he kisses my cheek when we’re standing in line at the grocery store
29. his unwavering certainty that God is at work and will bring good from any difficult circumstances our loved ones are experiencing, and the way he keeps reminding me of it…
He is God’s gift to me.
Well. He certainly does sound wonderful!!! I’d say you should keep him! And #6 is my favorite!!!!!! SO SWEET!!!!
He’s a keeper, Jessica! Happy new year!
Hooray! What a darling man! xxx
:)….thank you Ember.
Perhaps we should add:
#30: His love of grocery shopping and how he can spend two hours looking at cans of this and jars of that, and then come home with five cans of black eyed peas or artichoke hearts, which you’ve never cooked, not once in 29 years, and have no desire to start. He would be excited to show them to you. “Julie, look what I got!”
#31: How he thinks that his hair is still brown. When he looks in the mirror, he sees brown hair where the rest of us see white and gray.
#32: How he kept a note that I wrote him as a little girl that said “I love you, Dad” tacked up above his workbench in the garage for about fifteen years.
#33: How he likes to secretly give my youngest child candy when she looks at him with her big brown eyes.
Love you, Dad! (And mom!)
Those additions were hysterical. I’ll show them to Dad. 🙂 I also think you should do my blog. In addition to all the other things you do. Okay?
You’re a lucky gal and he’s a lucky guy. I know we’re not supposed to say lucky, but let’s quit being so priggish. I’m lucky to know you both.
I like the way you think, Lucky Lloyd. We’re lucky to know you too. Thank you for reading and encouraging.
Why do your love thoughts of Michael move me to tears? I think, in part, it is because I see something so transcendent, so beautiful in your marriage. I see the total commitment of two very human, and thus flawed individuals. I see the expression of that commitment in regular and small ways. I see honor, affection, and gratitude. I see Julie and Michael as so much more than than the combination of the individual Julie plus the individual Michael. Happy Anniversary. Love, Sue
Sue, thank you for the beautiful, generous things you have written. It makes me want to write a “29 things I wish Michael would change about himself” or “29 things Michael wishes his wife wouldn’t do” to counter any rose-colored ideas I put forth. 🙂 But you know how flawed we are too. It’s wonderful to have someone in my life who believes the best about me. I hold your words very close to my heart.
Someone has a birthday soon….a good excuse to get together to eat and chat and laugh and cry and hope and share. LY.
This soooo touched my heart Julie.
I would worry about #18 though. If someone were to massage my hand, I might just drift off into “endorphin heaven”
clearly making it an activity not to indulge in while behind the wheel! 🙂
Love you!
I have thought of this too, Deb. What I didn’t mention is that (and this should be on the list of 29 things I don’t love about Michael) he will only massage my hand for about two minutes. Then he stops. Same with the scratching the ridges in my ankle. It’s still pretty nice though. Thank you for reading, friend!
1. #6 & 31 are my favorites.
2. Dad and Uncle Michael could spend hours together in Walmart. Dad just makes a back-and-forth pattern through the store. He would go through every aisle and shelf if we let him. Reason number 5489431 why we should all move to Duluth.
3. I loved this. I showed it to my best friend, Jennifer, and we both cried.
4. I love you and Uncle Michael the moon and the stars.
If you moved here I know you would bring laughter to my life, Savannah. Your comments always tickle me. Oh, I could never go to Walmart with your dad, then. He and Michael could go every day to their heart’s content. Say hi to Jennifer, and I love you Saturn and Andromeda. 🙂
I have a friend whose daughter (now a young woman) used as a child to love having her hair stroked and played with. In the school assembly one morning, when this lass was about 10 years old, the child behind her was playing with her hair. She (a formidable child) turned round and said; “Keep doing that or I’ll hit you.”
That’s my girl!
That is the kind of “little girl” I could be Ember! I loved this account. I’ll pass it on to Michael, then he’ll be prepared for, “Keep scratching my ankles or I’ll kick you!” 🙂 xxoo
I have 2 more to add to your list:
#34: how he is always nice to my friends and makes them feel like his home is their home too.
#35: the way he puts together a sampling of smoked fish and venison sausage and serves it to a woman who he knows will appreciate the effort that went into making these delicacies.
I will never forget the day that #35 took place! It was the first time in my life that a man served me food…let alone food that he had prepared himself. I think what touched me most was his almost childlike enthusiasm. For one fleeting moment, I was a visiting dignitary and he was the humble servant, offering up the best he could offer! I was amazed and blessed beyond words!
You are so kind, Carey. Your words touched me and I know Michael will be humbled by them too. He loves you. I do too. 🙂
I must confess, it brought me to tears too!! Such sappy women we are! Julie, thank you for sharing. And while I am sure you could make a decent list of what you wish Michael “would change about himself” or “what Michael wishes his wife wouldn’t do,” you chose to focus on the loving element. And that speaks volumes about you both!
Awww, Taun. Thank you! You are the pot calling the kettle black, my friend. 🙂
Julie, God has given you such gifts – you can express yourself in such a way that moves all of us to tears of joy and appreciation. You also can write some stories including your Christmas letters that use to have me laughing and crying. I always wanted your dad to write a book but he never did. Think I will ‘hound you’ to as it would be great and just think how much your children and grandchildren would love it. Love you.
Thank you Dorothy….you are one of the best encouragers I know. LY.
If you ever consider donating your blog to a library. The Schlesinger library which is part of Harvard is collecting blogs of women. You have such a well written and interesting blog. https://www.radcliffe.harvard.edu/schlesinger-library/collections/donate-materials
What a nice thing to say, Nancy. I can’t imagine that Harvard would want any part of my ramblings, but you gave me a smile with your kindness. 🙂 xoxo