Husband, Friend, Irritant, Procrastinator, Fraidy Cat

One of my favorite bloggers wrote a funny post today about reconnecting with our husbands. When another blogger also wrote about her husband, I thought I'd join in the fun.

My husband was born and raised in Saudi Arabia. He was shipped off to the USA for boarding school at the age of 14. Several times a year he made his way, solo, back to Arabia and to various relatives homes for holidays. He had a sister and two brothers who also had the same experience. All four of them are kind, well adjusted, well educated, and occasionally real pains to be married to.

He spent 20 years on his own ... doing his own thing ... considering only his needs ... you can see how this is not the best basis for partnership in a marriage.

The first time this came to light was about 10 months after we were married. We had spent the previous 10 months moving 3 times and getting adjusted to married life. One night, just as things were seeming to get to our new normal, I was the first one home ... so naturally I started dinner ... I was putting everything on the table when he walks in with a take-out meal from a local restaurant ... one meal. Now, in his defense, this was the days before cell phones (jeez ... how old am I?) ... but seriously ... just one meal? He failed to see the problem with this ... so we had a "discussion" about working together and sharing.

He has over the years gotten much, much better ... now though he makes lunch for himself on the weekends and forgets that the kids may also need to eat ... he's a work in progress.

So, let me take a moment to highlight some good traits. He often brings me flowers for no reason ... he has even enlisted the kids to pick out flowers for me when they are out shopping. They often come in from outside to give me a "flower" (dandelion) or a gift from a neighbor ... sorry neighbors :). He brings me Starbucks. He will put the kids to bed by himself if I pretend I'm too sick to do it (kidding aside ... he will always do something if I need him to). He is always there for me if I'm having problem. He is, in fact, a great husband and father.

OK ... enough of that pap ...

The reason I'm writing about my husband today is because of the two posts I read this morning ... and the fact that my husband proved to me last night that his sleep may be the most important thing on the planet.

About 11 pm I'm awakened by what I think is a loud noise ... it sounds like our bedroom door being slammed ... it wakes us both up ... then I notice our new dog has snapped alert ... and the noise was loud enough to wake up our almost deaf older dog. My mind is instantly on alert ... I'm sitting up in bed ... and listening to the baby monitor ... (all three kids have decided to sleep in the same room) ... nothing ... now there is total silence ... I get up and go out into the hall to see if one of the kids got up and I didn't hear it on the monitor ... but none of the motion activated lights are on ... so it seems like no one was wandering through the house ... but somehow I think that someone may be in the house ... evading the Fort Knox like alarm system and all the motion lights. Now I have to check every inch of the house ... the children are all fine and sound asleep ... but still I need to check closets, empty rooms, etc.

Finally, I make my way back to our bedroom ... everything seems fine ... but still there was that noise ... I get in bed and realize that my husband is sound asleep ... and that he has just let me check for burglars, invaders, monsters ... all by myself ... whilst he slept ...

What the hell is that about? ... so I wake him up ... me "Wow what a great protector you are ... you make me feel so safe ... just knowing you are by my side ... oh wait ... you were sound asleep ... oh wait ... why was I even out of bed?" ... him "Huh?" ... me "How can you let me check out that noise by myself?" ... him "What was it?" ... me ... louder "What the hell is wrong with you?" ... him ... long pause ... perhaps wondering what indeed is wrong with him ... "It was on the TV" ... me "The TV is not on ... the dogs even noticed the noise" ... him "Did you find anything?" ... me ... after tempering my annoyance .... "You're an idiot" .... him .....

ssssnnnnooooorrrreeee

me? .... sssiiiggghhhh