In which I swoon

I took this photo today, when we were at a play park with Neil's family, as part of our day visiting them (that's his mum in the background on her mobility scooter!). I took loooads of photos of all the little ones, as you do, and here I sit uploading them to my computer before going to bed, and enjoying looking through them all.

When I got to this one - oh THIS one! - I went sort of weak at the knees! :)



This is my man. MY man - oh how blessed I am! This is my man, who in my personal opinion (which is the only one that matters!) is handsome and smokin' and fiiiiine. The one in the photo who holds our precious sixth child, 5-month-old Elijah, who had fallen adorably asleep against him after a fun time in the swing (photos of that too!). Apart from the adorably cute, and handsome/smokin'/fiiiiine aspects, other things I LOVE about this photo are the way he looks as he surveys all of his/our/my sons (each of those words said by itself has special meaning - "his sons" = what a man! "our sons" = I'm so bleeeeeessed!!! "my sons" = *melt*). And the mud scuffed on the front of his jacket at little shoe height when he had comforted another of our (much muddier) little boys earlier. His jacket is always scuffed or foody or muddy. He isn't precious about it, he just wears it anyway, or gives it a quick brush off with the nearest sock or wipe! I wish he had the confidence in himself as a father that *I* have in him. He's a wonderful daddy.

In this photo he looks so mature (and handsome) and grown up (and smokin') and responsible (and fiiiiiine) to me, so much more than he used to look when we only had the two or three children thus far. I love his slightly greying temples, and the fact that he looks like a mature man now - our faces were so squeaky and plump with youth when I took the first photos of him! He was twenty-one and I was nineteen. Sooooo little! We look about as squeaky and young in our wedding photos, four years later. Now he is 38 and I am 36, and I feel comfortable and settled with this man. Like having relaxed into the most familiar and comfortable recliner, softened and cherished over time. I am not sure I should compare him to a chair, lol! But anyway. I'm just waffling really.

This photo sums up so much of how I feel about Neil in a snapshot image. He is steady and dependable (I won't mention handsome, smokin' and fiiiiine again since that would probably be overkill, but it does still occur to me as I write this paragraph, all the same! ;) ), kind and loving, gentle and tender-hearted, and he is my husband. I just want to shout about it a bit and show him off, and that's okay, because we wives are MEANT to praise our husbands and respect them publically!

This is my husband! I am so grateful and happy and blessed! Thank you Lord!