Hero

Today for Thirsty for Comments Thursday I am bringing back a post from a year ago and refreshing it with a bit of an update.  A year ago today I was laying on our couch, having been released from the hospital just a few days before.  I had suffered from shingles and extreme complications that the doctors still can't explain now.  Daniel, my wonderful husband, really kept me going.  Without him and my parents I wouldn't have been allowed to come home from the hospital when I did.  Daniel was amazing with all he handled.

This year we are dealing with a different kind of illness.  Daniel has recently been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and has encouraged me to share our story just like we shared my story last year.  Ironically he has called me his hero more times than I can count in the last month.  I don't think either of us even remembered this post existed on my blog.  Somehow I think the two of us were meant for each other.  We will survive the drama of this year just like we got through the last one- together.  We'll come out stronger in the end.  I just hope next year we catch a break!

Please enjoy this post I wrote a year ago today.  Yes, the song runs both ways.  If I could kiss Daniel's pain away I'd do it in a heart beat.  And, yes, even through the hard times he has always had the ability to take my breath away.  Enjoy:

I heard this song, "Hero," by Enrique Inglesias, on another blog, and I had to just pause. I had to stop and think about my hero. Who is my hero? Truly my husband deserves that title. I don't know what I would do without him.

Over these past couple of weeks, while I've been sick, Daniel has taken on so much. I feel badly that he has so much on his shoulders, but I am most appreciative of the fact he is WILLING to do it all. I'm not sure all husbands would kick in the way he has.

Daniel spends his mornings helping me shower and get ready for the day, all while making sure the girls have eaten breakfast and gotten themselves ready for school. He then drives them to school and me to my parents' house so I can be around people in the event that I need assistance. Daniel then maintains an average of seven properties each day (he owns a landscape maintenance company), making it home on time (most days) to pick up the girls from school. We all go home, and Daniel starts the evening routine of laundry, dishes, and cooking dinner. He also helps the girls with their homework if the hustle and bustle is too overwhelming for me (which is often lately). By 4:00 in the afternoon I am often ready for a nap or ready to check out for the evening.

At night, Daniel gets the girls in bed, making sure they have brushed their teeth and actually gotten OUT of their clothing and into pajamas. He then makes sure I have what I need for the evening. He really gets to finally relax and choose an activity for himself around 8 PM. If I had the ability to say, "OK, I'm done being sick now," I would. Of course I don't, though, so for now I will just have to sit back and count my blessings.

"I can be you hero baby
I can kiss away the pain
I will stand by you forever
You can take my breath away"

lyrics from "Hero"

He may not be able to truly kiss the pain away; heck, even Vicodin can't always do that, but the fact that he tries makes Daniel my hero. He does take my breath away, and I hope that he knows that. Daniel is living proof that super heroes don't always wear tights!