A Tale of Two Snowmen

Ok.... those of you who know us should be able to identify which snowman I made and which one Jon made (both with the help of the children of course). What do these snowmen tell you about each of us?

Mine is the whimsical - a little bit kooky - top one. Jon's is the very even, straight-laced, serious bottom one. They're both great, huh? (Please don't ask me to explain the stick protuding from my snowman's midsection. That piece was added by Adam and later had a pair of binoculars hanging from it.)

I had to laugh this evening when I was fixing dinner and looked out the window and saw Jon and the boys putting the finishing touches on their snowman. It just struck me how different it looked from the one I made with them a few weeks ago. It reminded me of how different Jon and I are.... and how that's such a good thing (most of the time).

How awesome it is that God gave us all such different temperaments and talents and gifts! Jon and I are so different and we fit perfectly together because of that. I bring fun and ideas and vision and a million projects and adventures to his life and he grounds, protects, comforts, and supports me in everything from faith to finances. I have a thoughtful, generous heart and he has the heart of a true servant (of God, not necessarily just me). We both bring a different kind of order and organization to each other and our family.

Our differences make us really great for each other, but they are also a big challenge at times. We are constantly talking about and working on the way we parent. We know we aren't even close to perfect at it and we don't always want to handle things the same way. As I step back and think about it tonight, I realize that God is with us in a very special way precisely in those differences and in the situations when we don't agree or don't handle things in the same way. In those moments, when we open ourselves up to it, the graces of the Sacrament of Marriage come to us, fill in the gaps, and make us one.

As we go through our seventh year of marriage, we are continuing to learn from each other and grow closer together. Thank you God for Jon, for the amazing adventure of married life. Thank you for giving our boys two very different parents from whom they can learn. Continue to draw us all together toward you in love. Amen.