Month: June 2010

Philip and I have been together for five years.  This is going to sound absurd to some and like a lie to others, but in five years, we have never had a fight.  He’s never raised his voice to me.  He’s never said anything that was intentionally aimed at hurting me.   He’s rather proved to me that fairy tales are true, which I always secretly hoped and I think actually knew, because what can possibly be more fairy tale-like than the story of Christ?  Love, in any form, seems to be for the dreamers and the believers of the impossible.

But I digress.

In the five years that I’ve been with Philip, I’ve seen him in the role of son, brother, husband, pastor, friend, mentor, teacher, and lastly, father.  It is this role that I want to talk about, a little late for father’s day, but important still.  Watching Philip with his children is more special than can be described.  This is something that you don’t have to take my word on, ask anyone in church or in the family.  In the same way he is with me, he is never inpatient with them, never seems frustrated, and above all, loves them in a way that clearly shows he would give his life for them.  He loves his boy, and I can’t wait to watch their relationship grow and develop, but there is clearly a special bond between him and Callie Grace, and that bond goes both ways.  Neither do well being apart from each other for long.  She looks for him first thing in the morning, she talks about him all day, she brings things to me to give to him when he gets home, and she becomes a sprinter when she hears the garage door open.  At times, but only in the best of ways, I feel like an intruder on their moments together.  But I feel like this is how it should be.  I would welcome anyone to come visit us, if for no other reason than to witness what I believe and father’s relationship with his children should look like.

One other quick note: I’ve been bizarrely sick these past few days (for those that have known me for a long time, isn’t that just typical!).  I have to say, and I say this with tears in my eyes, I have never felt more supported or loved.  My church family here has gone so far above and beyond what I could ever expect that I can’t possibly explain it.  My church family and biological family that aren’t here have sent prayers and support.  And then of course, there’s Philip.

There will always and forever, throughout eternity, be Philip.

Philip and I had the opportunity to spend a few days in Orlando, so we made our plans, flew our moms out to Colorado to watch the babies and set off for, what surely must be, the hottest place in the world.  We were gone for five days.  Five days away from Callie and Justus.  We missed them immediately.  By day two, it was barely tolerable.  By day four it became almost miserable.  By day five, we knew that if we didn’t get home immediately, we would go crazy!  So needless to say, that is the last time we leave them for so long!  They had a great time at home, and were well-cared for (read: spoiled) the entire time we were gone.

Before I got married, I traveled quite a lot.  I was good at it, too, good at finding my way around airports, cities, even foreign countries.  I could read a map, rent a car, get from one place to another with relative ease.  And then after I got married, it’s like all those skills deserted me for someone more in need of them!  I feel like a five year old these days when traveling, totally confused trying to determine which way to go on the interstate (“the sun sets in the west, look for sun, idiot.  Ok, it’s noon.  The sun is directly overhead…etc. etc. etc.  This is my internal dialogue :)), which terminal in the airport I need, where the nearest Starbucks is, what I can and cannot take on the plane.  The Lord blessed me in infinite ways with Philip, and one of these ways is that he is never lost, never stressed, never in a hurry, and never late.  Seriously, it’s a gift!  So, until I travel alone in July to Mikael’s wedding, I can breathe a sigh of relief that I know Philip will get us safely where we need to go.

One more rambling about airports.  I don’t understand the people that show up on the plane looking relaxed, fabulous, cool and calm.  I find myself walking through the airport, dragging my ancient suitcase, sweat dripping my makeup down my face, my pants always either a little too snug and dreadfully uncomfortable or a little too big, and in need of a hand to haul them back up, but said hands are full of mostly needless bags of mostly needless stuff.  By the time I get into my seat on the plane I’m exhausted, cranky, certain that if I wasn’t with Philip I’d probably be on a plane headed to Singapore, and always, always hungry.  Is it just me?

More importantly, here are a few pictures of my precious babies.

Callie rocking her baby doll on the back porch:

Justus and me today at the outdoor worship service:

Tomorrow I will post about Father’s day!