Grace and Gratitude

This is one of those personal posts.  Just warning ya.  However, I can not let the week go by without acknowledging this milestone event for our family.  I've mentioned before that my hubby is a State Representative.  He represents approximately 71K people.  Whoasa...that's a lot of lives to be serving the best interests of, no?  I try not to think about all that stuff too much because it gets me all stressed.  He has served 8 years now....since Mailey was 2 and William was 4.  It's what they know.  It's what they think of when they think of Daddy going to work. 

Now, it's not like a movie star status thing in this state.  Nah.  No special treatment or fancy trips.  So get that outta your head.  Rather it is a quiet honor in our house that he serves.  Come session time it's really quiet actually.  Long hours, long meetings, long periods without seeing Daddy/Hubby.  Yep.  But it's a life we've grown accustom to and we just do it.  Ya know?  In fact most of our friends probably have NO idea what type of hours we lead during session.  How stressed we are about the bills that come across the table.  How his vote may affect the community and state...it's big stuff to have to think about.  He gets real moody and quiet during this time, and I let him be.  I can not imagine the stress he's under and the tug in his heart and head to make the right decisions.  (this also may be why I am beyond exhausted right this second come to think about it....)

On the upside though, we've had some supercool opportunities.   And we've made friendships across the state from many walks of life during the 8 year journey. 

Last night was day 40.  They call it Sine Die.  Which in Latin means, "without day".  Basically it means "we are outta here!"  I always go up for this night because it's exciting.  There's hustle and bustle of last minute bills, lots of busy bees behind the rope eager for one last word before a vote and good-bye speeches.  And last night Billy had his.  You see, he's retiring.  Yep. 

His speech lasted 2 minutes and 30 seconds.  It was amazing.  I had the most amazing swell of pride for him during those few minutes of the clock ticking away.  He didn't even have a word written down, it all came straight from his heart.  You could have heard a pin drop during his speech too, because everyone was listening....holding onto every word he said. (normally it is a noisy house floor at all times, reminds me of the scene in hunger Games where she shoots the arrow through the pig?  that kind of noise)  Of course he made me cry.  He called me his best friend in the whole wide world.  I kind of puffy heart that.

So this is the scene at 12 midnight.  It's like a giant ticker tape parade.  Like snow...like magic.  And then comes the calm after the storm.  And we go back to a sorta normal life until the next session starts.  But last night was our last Sine Die.  And he left with such Grace and Gratitude.  It was one of those moments when I knew exactly why I was drawn to him 20 years ago.  Why we fell in love and why we've lasted through all the storms.  Because he lives his life with such grace and gratitude.    And for that I am in awe.  And am thankful to call him mine.