Eight years ago today I married my best friend. It is pretty amazing how much my love for Eric has grown since then. When you are young and just married, it is hard to imagine being able to love more. My love for Eric is so much deeper, and we have such a different and stronger love. I wanted to dedicate an entire post to Eric (I don't write about him enough) and as I have thought about what I have wanted to write about Eric, I've gotten emotional thinking about the kind of person I have been blessed with. I wanted to write about eight of the things I love about Eric.
COMMITMENT: If Eric ever says he is going to do something, anything, he does it. He always follows through. When he tells someone he will do something or be somewhere, they can count on him. When we were in Pullman, and Eric was in the Bishopric of the Single's Ward, he was going through chemo. He was very sick (nauseous, sores in his mouth, no energy) and had already lost all his hair. Even feeling the way he did and being told he didn't need to be at church, he never missed a meeting (Bishopric or church). He was always where our Bishop needed him to be.
TESTIMONY: Eric has such a strong love for the Gospel. You can tell by seeing how he acts and treats people. He is always talking about the Gospel and his friends/classmates all know what Eric believes. When Eric spoke at Andrew's funeral, he did such a good job of sharing and teaching the Plan of Happiness and also sharing his testimony. He is always helping me be and do better.
HARD WORKER: Eric was raised in a family where they learned the importance of hard work. He worked so hard in sports in high school that he was awarded a scholarship to run in college. Eric earned all the money needed to pay for his own mission. He made it his goal, to go dental school, so he put in all the time and effort needed to be accepted into the University of WA Dental School. Now that he is in school he works even harder and we are so grateful for Eric's hard work.
STRENGTH: Eric is my rock. When everything seems to be crashing down on me, Eric is always so strong and such a perfect companion. The morning Andrew died, Eric and I are both in such shock. I didn't even know what to do or say. He took me into an empty room and said a prayer that strengthened me and allowed me to even be able to put one foot in front of the other. He always knows what to say to help me and being around him, I always know that everything will be alright.
NEVER COMPLAINS: Eric has been dealt a handful of pretty crappy sicknesses. Sometimes, it has seemed to be one thing after another. Throughout his bouts with cancer, chemo, multiple surgeries, and his treatments, he has never ever complained. He takes it all in stride and is still a happy guy. You wouldn't know looking at him that he always has stomach pain, but he still keeps going and makes the most of his health when he is feeling alright.
SERVES: Eric is constantly looking for ways to help other's around him. He is willing help anyone in need. He helps people when they move, people in school, to fix cars, and pretty much anything else he can. He has helped a lot of people throughout the last eight years with exercising. He loves to exercise and has been able to share his love, and personal train quite a few of his friends.
FATHER: Eric is such a great Dad. The kids LOVE when their Dad gets home. The last few years he hasn't been able to be around as much as he would like, but when he is around he is so good at showing the kids how important they are to him. He is always hugging and playing with them. Eric loves to snuggle with our kids and is so good at taking individual time with each of them. He had such a sweet relationship with Andrew. Whenever Eric got home, you could hear Andrew giggling and saying, "Dada" over and over. Eric never raises his voice or talks down to our kids. He always jumps in to help me change diapers, get kids dressed/bathed, and anything else he sees I might need. He has such a calm way to parent and discipline them. I love how he plays his own special games/songs and has his own special names for each one of the kids.
HUSBAND: To portray the kind of husband Eric is, I want to share an example. When we first got married, I asked him to put the seat down after he used the bathroom. From that day on he has put the seat down every single time. The other day we had visitors over and I had noticed the seat was left up and I asked Eric why he never left the seat up like most guys do, and he told me cause I had asked him to. Eric is so unselfish. He is always looking for ways to serve me. He is always letting me know how he feels about me and I am grateful for that. Eric is the most handsome man in the world to me and I love his sense of humor. I love the look on his face when he says funny, just to make me laugh. I love everything about Eric!
The day before we got married, Eric gave me a wedding gift. It was a porcelain statue of a pioneer couple burying their child. When he gave it to me, he told me it represented how we would be able overcome any trial that came our way. It is unreal that we are enduring this same trial that is portrayed by our statue.
I am grateful for Eric's strength and support to me. He is the perfect husband and best friend for me.
Happy Anniversary Eric!
I love you more than anything! (Aubs taught us that line)
