Tackling my "LOVE" Expectation - Part 1

I've been married twenty years and my husband have NEVER asked me to do anything....NOTHING!  He has never asked me to do an errand. He doesn't expect chores done.  He doesn't expect much of me.  I tried second guessing what he expecting for years.  Then I realized he really didn't expect much.  He just married me for me.

Then over Christmas holidays, we visited my parents.  My mother has a lung issue that causes her to use oxygen at all times and lose a lot of weight.  My dad has Alzheimer's and we are in process of moving to a memory unit.  It was not the trip we expected.  My husband was so understanding when my sister and I helped my mom and dad do  laundry, visit the memory unit and make sure my mom and dad were making good decisions.

The visit was difficult for my children as they have never seen their Grandma so frail that she had difficulty breathing.  She would walk extremely slow and wouldn't leave her assisted living apartment.  She came over to my sister's house one day but it wore it out.  Then there was my dad, who had no idea who we were when we arrived.  It was apparent and it broke my children's hearts.  I warned them but seeing it live out in real time is a whole other story.  So my children had fun playing with their cousins but emotionally had a tough week.

When we returned home, it was great to be home.  We started the process of moving my father to a memory unit, which is actually a blessing.  It will allow my mother to take care of herself better and my dad can take care of himself better (with the help of others).  All is good.  However, my husband finally asked something of me.  He surprised me.


My mother had lost a lot of weight due to her illness.  She looks frail...not strong at all.  I guess my husband worried and could see me in forty years.  He didn't want me frail.  He asked if I would start exercising.  He asked if I could take care of myself better.  It was the sweetest moment because he cared.

Now, I'm not overweight.  I'm 5'9" and 125 so I'm on the skinny side of what a person my height should be.  I despise exercising.  I have attempted to run in the past and sabotaged myself for various reasons. I have the smallest wrists, fingers, ankles naturally.  So I can see why he worried I could easily be frail in my later years.  I'm so happy he loves me enough to actually ask me to do something before its too late. So now I have the "Love" expectation I've always wanted.

So now I have a challenge before me and I have to figure out how tackle it?  I've lost the battle several times.  I've even blogged about it, hoping my attitude would change, but it did not.  I found a way...but not where I expected it!

(Come back for Part 2)