The Home Stretch & AOA

Well, we are on the home stretch to Joseph coming home after being gone for the past 6 ½ weeks! There were hard times, but I really feel like God grew me (inside & literally outside) while he was gone. I have always known that Joseph does more than most husbands to help out at home, but never realized how much I depend on him or take him for granted. Since he’s been gone I have taken the trash out, put a new trash bag in the trash can and scooped poop for the first time in our marriage. I have given baths & put the boys to bed more in the past 6 ½ weeks than I have in the past 4 ½ years. From now until Christmas Joseph will be gone quite a bit so it really was a great for me to learn just how much I am capable of doing on my own. With that said we are SO happy that our Daddy is coming home tomorrow! While I have missed his help around the house, I have missed his presence in my days more.

While we are on the subject of what a ROCKSTAR my hubby is I can’t go without mentioning his latest accomplishment. Joseph has been chosen to be a member of the Maryland Chapter of the Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) Honor Medical Society. Only the top quarter of his class was even considered and asked to send in a resume. Even then, less than 10% of his class was invited to be a member. AOA students are chosen not only for their high academic standing, but also for leadership among peers, professionalism, sense of ethics and promise of success in future medical career. What is most amazing to me is that as impressive as he is in his medical career thus far Joseph still strives hard to be the best dad and husband he can be. And to top all that off he has never turned his back on God and spends time daily in His Word. Joseph will tell you that the most important things in his life are God and his family and he lives that to be true! Joseph seeks harder than anything else to be the kind of man that God has called him to be. If my boys turn out to be anything like the man their father is we will be truly blessed. On our way to the hospital, the day that Caleb was born, this song came on the radio that really touched both Joseph and I. Whenever I hear it I feel so blessed to have married the man that I did!

I Want To Be Just Like You - Phillips, Craig & Dean

He climbs in my lap for a goodnight hug
He calls me Dad and I call him Bub
With his faded old pillow and a bear named Pooh
He snuggles up close and says, "I want to be like you"
I tuck him in bed and I kiss him goodnight
Trippin' over the toys as I turn out the light
And I whisper a prayer that someday he'll see
He's got a father in God 'cause he's seen Jesus in me

Lord, I want to be just like You
'Cause he wants to be just like me
I want to be a holy example
For his innocent eyes to see
Help me be a living Bible, Lord
That my little boy can read
I want to be just like You 'Cause he wants to be like me

Got to admit I've got so far to go
Make so many mistakes and I'm sure that You know
Sometimes it seems no matter how hard I try
With all the pressures in life I just can't get it all right
But I'm trying so hard to learn from the best
Being patient and kind, filled with Your tenderness
'Cause I know that he'll learn from the things that he sees
And the Jesus he finds will be the Jesus in me

Right now from where he stands I may seem mighty tall
But it's only 'cause I'm learning from the best Father of them all