Dear husband: Thank you for respecting my decision to be a SAHM

[Editor’s note: This story is a letter from a woman to her husband. While this is one example of one type of relationship, we understand, appreciate and celebrate that relationships come in all forms and configurations.]

Dear husband,

One gloomy morning, our 2-year-old daughter looked outside her bedroom window frowning and said, “Oh no! It’s raining! We can’t go to the playground.” Her devastation was heartbreaking.

It was downpouring.

You knew this meant a longer day for all of us. For you, it meant the commute to and from work would be miserably wet and crowded. For me, it meant I was bound to our small apartment with our overactive toddler and still unpredictable infant. For our daughter, it meant she would not get to go to her favorite place.

As you set up our daughter’s breakfast and she wallowed in her utter disenchantment of the weather, you began to tell her about a man who loved to sing and dance in the rain, Gene Kelly. Her eyes perked up. She was intrigued.

You told her that there’s a song called “Singin’ in the Rain” and on rainy days like this one, we have to sing and dance just like Gene Kelly did. With YouTube’s help, you found the scene from the movie Singin’ in the Rain. As you showed her, her mouth slowly shifted from frown to smirk to an excited jaw drop. Every rainy day thereafter has been filled with that catchy song from 1952.

Despite the seemingly insurmountable challenges Mother Nature threw our way that day, you found a way to turn our daughter’s disappointed frown into a gleaming smile.

For this reason, and many more, I am so grateful for you. And I wanted to say thank you.

Thank you for…

…randomly buying me flowers.

…holding my hand while we walk.

…putting up with my mood swings before, during and after pregnancy.

…respecting my decision to stay at home with our kids.

…respecting my staying home with the kids as work.

…making up songs about every mundane activity in the house.

…going to buy coffee and croissants every Saturday morning with our kids.

…dancing with me (even if just a for a couple of spins) while our daughter and son watch over us.

…watching ALL my favorite TV shows with me. While I know we both love Game of Thrones, I often feel extra special when I see you just as interested in the plot twists of Jane the Virgin.

…cleaning the dishes every single time I cook. And sometimes after you cook, too, just because you don’t want me to have an extra chore around the house.

…managing the house budget with such meticulousness.

…doing the early morning routine, so I can get an extra 20 minutes of shut-eye.

…learning to play all the Daniel Tiger songs alongside “Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do)” by Christopher Cross on the piano.

…working at the office, working from home, working abroad, etc. I know how difficult the balance has been, and yet you make it seem so easy.

…sleeping on your side of the bed, even though you love to snuggle, just because you know that I need some breathing room at night.

…taking a sincere interest in every miniscule detail of what happens with the kids throughout the day.

…listening to me divulge anything and everything all the time.

…making me love THIS much.

These are just a few of the countless number of ways in which you express your devotion to me and our family. All of this shows our children what love looks and feels like. You accept us—done or undone, ready or not, organized or in disarray, etc. You keep our romance alive. You make magic for our children.

Every day I feel grateful to call you mine. Every day I feel warmth in my heart knowing it’s well taken care of. I do not know what is to come, but I do know that if you are by my side I will be “Singin’ in the Rain” with thankfulness for the rest of my life.

You might also like:

• Dear Husband: Most of all, thank you for the things no one asked you to do
• This is my vow to you, my love—I promise to always be in it with you
• I promise to be your co-parent, life partner, and fellow tantrum-tamer for life