I'll be the first to admit that life was turned on its head for me, as I'm sure it was for my wife. Going from a life of being single and not having to worry about things like rent or utilities to having the responsibility of providing for a family, paying a mortgage and other bills, and just being the patriarch of a home has yielded its fair share of stress.
However, through all of those stressful times (which are certainly ongoing), I have been blessed to have a loving wife at my side. There are few things as comforting as knowing that I have a wife waiting for me at home, with whom I can confide in and who is always willing to listen and to share my burdens.
On the other side of the coin, I am so grateful for the movements when I am able to be there for my wife when she feels stressed or worried, when she falls ill, or just needs someone to hold her.
Some of the most sacred moments that I've experienced over the past few months were when Whitney or I have felt that overbearing feeling of anxiety or stress, and have turned to either other for help. I hope that I have been able to help her as much as she had helped me, because she had done so more often than I can count.
Whitney is incredibly skilled at reading my emotions and knowing how to be there for me. Sometimes she's able to help me understand the anxieties that I'm feeling about work or other worries that I haven't even been able to come to terms with myself. She is an incredibly good listener and shows an empathy greater than anyone else I know. Whether this comes from her degree in Psychology or a wife's intuition, I don't know, but I certainly appreciate it.
While I definitely don't feel like I measure up in terms of knowing the best way to be there for my wife, or to comfort her in the way that she needs most, I am definitely trying my best, and believe that she knows that.
One of my favorite traits that Whitney has is the bravery to always ask for a priesthood blessing whenever she feels sick or is mentally or emotionally strained, or just needs some extra help. She also has an incredible faith in the Priesthood and in my worthiness as a priesthood holder and knows that the blessings are ore than just words and that they truly have a positive effect in her life. I am so honored to have this unique opportunity to bless her life, and really look forward to these times.
Marriage is not an easy thing, but it is definitely an enjoyable thing. When I think back on my life without Whitney by my side, I have no idea how I was able to make it. She has been my rock as much as I hope that I have been hers.
We now have the wonderful blessing of knowing that our family is soon to get even larger, as Whitney is currently 14 weeks pregnant. I will never forget that moment when I got to see the first ultrasound and see the throbbing heartbeat of the small child--our small child--that is growing inside of her. Seeing that heartbeat caused my own to feel like it was trying to beat its way out of my chest, and I was overwhelmed with the feeling of how real the situation had become. One very powerful thought filled my mind and hasn't left me since that moment: I'm going to be a father.
While I'm nervous and anxious about how this huge event will chang my life, and how I will be able to step up to the task of being a father, I am extremely excited and can't wait for the moment to arrive. I also know that I couldn't have asked for a better mother for my children. Whitney has been so incredible to me that I have no doubt at all that she will be an exceptional mother.
The time is drawing nearer each day and there is still a lot to do to prepare for the coming of our baby, but I couldn't be happier. I am so grateful for Whitney and her sacrifices with being pregnant. I love her with all my heart and so am thankful that we are able to make our little Shurtliff family even bigger.
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