13 Things I Miss About My Man

I am sincerely happy that Shawn is off doing something he loves, enjoying the challenge of languages and cultures, and getting a well deserved break.  In honor of the number of days Shawn has been gone on his trip, here are 13 things I love and miss about him--in no particular order. :)

1-  I miss Shawn's warm body sleeping next to mine.  Strangely, I always forget the first couple nights he is on a trip to turn up the thermostat a couple degrees, so I can sleep better--otherwise I am cold.  (If you're thinking that isn't fair to the kids, they are young, they adapt better than I do!)

2- I miss his smile.  I love the way it slowly crawls across his face when he knows I am looking at him.

3- Hearing him say my name.  Before I knew Shawn everyone called me Jenny, so in a way, I became Jennifer when I married him.  Although the norm now is for me to be called Jennifer, it always endears me to hear him say my name.  (And I know when I am with family, or someone from my childhood, when I am called Jenny--which is fun too.)

4- Date night.  A small break from being mom--someone to talk to and share perspective with.

5- Lunch together. Usually once a week we have lunch together.  Sometimes it is at the counter in our kitchen, other times my favorite Thai place.

6- Someone else to hurry the kids toward the door on Sunday mornings.  Although this has changed a little since his new calling, it is wonderful to have someone else helping to get us there on time.

7- Giving Tiffany a ride to school.  Tif can easily make her bus, but often she needs to go early to class.  With the elementary school carpool, this can be a lot to juggle alone.

8-The casual way he touches my arm or back as he walks by me.

9- Hearing his car pull into the garage from work each night.  Crazy how that can still make my heart beat faster after 23 years.

10- Having a rational person to balance parenting issues.

11- Trading off staying up to wait for Marissa to come home from work.  With early morning runs this can lead to only 4-5 hours of sleep for me while he is gone. (And I am so much more rational with 6 or more!)

12- The presence of the priesthood in our home.  Stability and comfort comes from having this continual blessing in our lives.

13- Sitting next to him, my head on his shoulder, watching one of our favorite TV shows together.  (Laughing, cringing and speculating about what will happen next--And he knows to only talk while fast-forwarding though the commercials.)