My Hard-Working Man

listen to: Your Song

I married a man who works very hard. He always has. From the beginning I was impressed with his work ethic. I believe his motto would be something like, "Work hard, provide for your family, keep them safe, acknowledge the hand of God, and find time to laugh." Often I wish he could be more easy-going and less concerned, but he is who he is, and certainly, there are worse things. And we do laugh. I believe my sense of humor didn't develop until I was with him.
With his career choices, it has become a way of life for us, that he is often away. He was a teacher for 11 years, and some people assume that is a cozy job, summers off, short work day, babysitting. But that isn't teaching. Teaching is planning daily what you will be doing every hour of that day to fill a young person's mind with knowledge that will get them to pass a levels test required by the state, as well as enjoying what it is they are learning. Teaching is staying after and addressing students' concerns, talking with parents, meeting with staff to discuss improvements. Teaching is continuing your education on weekends and summers to keep you updated and certified. Teaching is joining Site Team and Link Crew, heading up the clubs and chaperoning the dances, helping crowd control at sporting events, running the clocks or announcing, writing letters of recommendation, heading up the department and integrating entirely new ways of doing things, earning support or ruffling feathers with fellow staff. I would dare say it is the job with the most over-time, without over-time pay. Teaching is working another job in the summer. And that is just teaching. My husband also coached. Through the years he has coached high school football, high school boys and girls basketball, and middle school and college level track, and except for a couple of years, all three sports every year. He was gone from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m., sometimes 5:30 during track season, sometimes 9:00 during football, Friday nights and sometimes Saturdays, staying over for away games too far away. Sports camps filled the summer weeks, and local, regional, and national championships always seemed to be over Halloween, and his and Jacob's birthday. During all this, he not only pursued his Masters degree, but also earned administrative credentials, so he could be a principal, and really have something to do. Now that he is an assistant principal, and no longer coaches, we do see more of him, and he has, almost in its entirety, loved his career. His daily hours are more regular, and although he is required to be at most school functions, we go with him. He has meetings and still travels away on trainings, but has more free time during the summer. It has been difficult, yes, and he doesn't balk when I take credit for raising his kids, and loves any credit he is given. He has been a good father, and the kids love to spend time with him, and hang on his every word. (I wish I could say the same about how they listen to me, ha.) And now, since September, he has been serving as Bishop of our ward, on top of his career, leading, directing, and praying for a congregation of about 400 people in our community. He is performing a wedding on Saturday for the first time, and emailed me his speech this morning to go through and okay. You see, he is in Colorado this week for work. I have married a man who is gone a lot, who works to extract meaning from life, and when I hear his truck pull in the drive, my heart beats faster, I check the mirror, though sometimes that is futile, and throw myself into his arms when he comes through the door. Sometimes, I even jump. And he laughs as he kisses me.