33 Months

Thirty-three months of marriage tends to be dreadfully overlooked on Pinterest. How do you celebrate a milestone that truly is a big deal...but tends to be skipped in favor of things like...thirty-six months, which create a nice, even three years?

Well today marks 33 months of marriage for the Shaffers, and I am celebrating today by sharing 33 of my favorite things about my husband. {Bet you can't wait for our 493rd monthiversary!} These are, of course, in no particular order and in no way reflect a COMPLETE list of everything I love about him.

1. You make me laugh. Sometimes while I'm actually mid-cry. That's talent, my Love.

2. You willingly participate in my need for photo documentation of every day we live. You may not understand it, but you support it, and for that, so much love to you.

3. You are my biggest writing champion. I thought no one could surpass my mother in championing my work. I was blissfully wrong. :)

4. You make up your own words and own them. Pirogi, betrothing, Casa Blanca...the list goes on, and I love the whole thing.

5. You pray for me on hard days. And you pray for me on easy ones too, but knowing I can come to you on the hard days and ask for prayer is a gift.

6. You're mind-blowingly handsome. I wanted to put that first, but at the risk of appearing shallow, I held off until item six.

7. You can cook! I grew up in a home with a Dad whose culinary masterpiece was toast {no judgment, Dad!} so it's sort of a miracle to me to have a husband who can {and will} take over in the kitchen if I'm sick or overwhelmed with something.

8. You encourage me to run even when you are a million times better at it than I am. Thanks for hanging on the path with me even when you've long finished your own workout.

9. You tell me you appreciate me. As I'm still finding my groove as a full-time wife, you make every day feel like an accomplishment by noticing what I do in our home and thanking me for it, even though you don't have to.

10. Your commitment to your job is incredible. Even when days are hard, you're tired, and you're discouraged, you give those patients way more than 100% of your time, attention and effort. I'm sure most of them don't know how fortunate they are to be part of your schedule.

11. You care about all the people. From your co-workers to your family to your friends to people you barely know, you have a tender and compassionate heart, and I love that about you. {I love it more when the random people you stop to help don't turn out to be criminals in disguise like the ones we see on TV.}

12. You've made Shafferland beautiful and more efficient, and I love how you've taken on ownership of this home, even though it wasn't a place we found together.

13. You hold me when I cry, and you don't judge me for it, even though you'd be warranted to do so...often.

14. Your laugh. Oh, how I love your laugh! It shows me your love for life, and that's a beautiful thing.

15. You take everything in stride so well. {Case in point: the day your blue car died vs. the day my car died. I screamed and called the car shop in tears. You calmly got out and pushed. And this is why we're a team.}

16. You call me beautiful and tell me not to roll my eyes when you say it.

17. You gave me the wedding of my dreams even though I didn't think we were "allowed" to do crazy things like drive to Florida and get married on a beach. Every time I see a photo {which is a million times a day, since they're everywhere}, I'm grateful.

18. You love our Braeya girl. Sure, I'm jealous she likes you better, but I can't say as I blame her.

19. You are so organized. I don't think I've ever known another human being as organized as you are, and while I sometimes tease you about it, I also love you for it.

20. You celebrate with me. All the little things. All the monthiversaries and datingversaries and engagementversaries, and anniversaries and new-restaurant-just-opened-let's-go-try-it-versaries...you are up for all of it.

21. You treat me with tenderness and respect, which should be a given, but we both know it isn't that way for too many marriages. I don't take it for granted.

22. You're frugal but not crazy. I appreciate that I can trust you with our resources and that you'll do your very best. I also appreciate that there's not a lockdown on the funds and sometimes a Coffee First shirt gets to be mine.

23. You miss me when you're at work - and you make sure to tell me so. Okay sometimes it's because I text you and say "DO YOU MISS ME YET??" but even if I didn't do that, you'd tell me you miss me and can't wait to come home to me. This girl loves those texts.

24. You care about our future and desperately want God to guide it - just as much as I do. Can't tell you how much comfort that brings me.

25. You encourage me to try hard things - like horseback riding or trying a segway or getting up before 10 a.m.

26. You make me {and us} a priority even in times when I'm sure you have other things clamoring for your attention. You want me to know I'm loved and this marriage matters more than anything.

27. You lead us well, spiritually, across the board. I appreciate all you do to make sure we're in tune with the Lord as a couple.

28. Your stories are the best. I love anything that begins with "LISTEN TO THIS!"

29. You make it easy to trust you - which was something I wasn't sure I could ever do again in my life. That is God at work and you being the uncompromising vessel. Thank you.

30. You aren't afraid of the hard times, and while I, on the other hand, am completely terrified of them, you encourage me to know it will be okay.

31. You make every single day an adventure. I never know what's coming, but I hang onto my hat, because it's going to be entertaining!

32. You make a safe place for my heart to dwell, which is another gift I don't take for granted and one I hope I give back to you every day.

33. You're the best friend and teammate I ever could have dreamed of marrying. Making a list of 33 things was easy. The last 33 months have not always been easy {hello! Life is hard sometimes} but the greatest joy has been living them out with you. Let's do 33 {thousand} more.