Falling in love all over again

I lay on the couch, putting up my sore feet, trying to rest my aching back. I was eight months pregnant with our second, and our toddler was finally down for a nap. After furiously scrubbing every surface in sight and preparing our Easter baking, it seemed, I needed a rest too. Or so said my husband.

It was Good Friday.

I tried to doze off, but my mind still churned with so many lists of what needed to get done, what I hadn't done properly, why I really oughn't be napping but instead doing something. Like making the Easter bread I had promised my little family!

Then I looked into the kitchen and there are at the table was my husband. He had a large mixing bowl in front of him, a few measuring cups and he had his typical look of seriousness and contemplation, what my grandmother once called affectionately his "Jesuitical look".

He carefully measured flour and other ingredients and began to knead. I realized he was making the Easter bread I had promised him and Noah.

He was silently taking on my responsibility, to serve me, to make sure I was rested and well and not overwhelmed by yet another task as we got ready for Easter.

He didn't know I was watching him, but I was.
And what I saw made me love him even more.




The morning after Isaiah was born, a nurse came in and give him his first bath. I took some customary photos, but none are really worth looking at; the poor little babe howled during the whole experience.

Immediately afterward, though, she lay him on a towel all wrapped up snuggly and warm. She placed a sweet knitted hat was on his head, probably made with love by some ladies' auxiliary somewhere. He quieted down right away and looked so breathtaking.

Coocooned in my hospital bed, and still a little too sore to do much moving around, I just sat and admired his beautiful face and the tiny little noises he was making.

Patrick knelt at the foot of my bed and leaned over gazing at Isaiah. I saw such love, tenderness and pride on his face as he stared at our baby boy.

I had been taking many pictures of Isaiah, so sweet and fresh and cute, but I stopped and took a photo of Patrick instead. The look on his face needed to be captured.

I'm sure he thought I was still photographing the baby.

He didn't know I was watching him, but I was.
And what I saw made me love him even more.

Comments

  1. ElenaMay 30, 2011 at 6:25 PM

    that is a truly wonderful photo of patrick.

    ReplyDelete
  2. ClaireMay 31, 2011 at 1:37 PM

    What a beautiful picture of the love of a father and obvious wonder at God's work in his life. Falling in love . . . even more. Enjoy the three "men" in your life as you get to know each one more each day.

    ReplyDelete

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