What a Wife (and Mom)

I have to tell you something. My wife is absolutely amazing. The last couple of months have been pretty hectic around the Austerman household. I helped plan Love Cedar Valley for our church, which meant weekly meetings, and many late nights spent emailing and organizing things. Jackee also was involved in some of the planning, when she wasn't taking care of Isaiah. I also am taking my first class to get my Master's right now, and travel to Chicago for work once a month. On top of all of this, I have been trying to work out just about every night (if I want Zay to be healthy, I better be healthy myself!!!). Jackee enables me to do all of this, and supports me. She takes all of this busyness in stride, which is such a blessing to me.

To most, this would seem quite normal, if one parent is busy the other one just kind of picks up the slack. Unfortunately parenting Zay isn't quite like parenting most kids. The extra time to cook his food is quite astonishing. In addition to the PKU, Zay has also been dealing with ear infections and at different times breathing problems from his Asthma. Jackee is such an amazing mom, and is the rock of our family.

The last two nights she has been even more extraordinary. On Tuesday morning Zay woke up at 5:00, which up until the last two weeks was his normal time to get up. Before I was really comprehending that Zay was crying, Jackee was already up and taking care of him. Fortunately, Zay went back down at about 5:45, and then Jackee climbed back into bed for 45 minutes. I barely moved through any of this. Then last night, Zay was so tired from being outside, that he was a bear. He went to bed after fussing non-stop at 6:30. He woke back up at 9:30. I tried to calm him down, but Zay definitely wanted his mommy. Jackee got up to help me take care of him. I also stayed up for a while, and then I tried to lay him down, and he had no part of that. I was extremely frustrated as I could not get him to calm down, eventually resolving to try to let him cry it out. Jackee ended up rescuing him, and didn't get to put him down until 11:45, while I slept. What a wife and mom!

She is continuously amazing me. Whether she is looking up new recipes for Zay, taking an extra minute at work to let me know that she loves me, or enabling me to volunteer at church, she is always making me feel loved. Jackee is a full time employee, a full time mom, a full time home maker, and a full time wife. Somehow with all of this she is also finding time to read some great Christian books, and pushing our family forward in our faith walk. Even with all of her love and care for our family, there are still times Jackee will ask me if she is a good mom; her humbleness is so honest. Right now Jackee is laying next to me sleeping. I pray that when she takes a moment to rest tomorrow as she is vacuuming, dusting, picking up the kitchen, sweeping the floors, doing laundry, making food for Zay, and raking the front yard she will read this and realize how much Zay and I appreciate her. Zay and I love you Hun, and I think you are the best Wife and Mom a husband and son could have!!!!