Dearest Husband,

Since I started grad school August 25th I’ve been so busy. It’s been a whirlwind, a crazy time of trying to do it all and not doing all of it as well as I’d like. I’ve discovered so much I didn’t know about myself, like that I actually have a work ethic and can put in a seventy hour week with school, work, internship and studying and even enjoy most of it. I’ve rediscovered how much I like doing housework when it’s a procrastination technique for schoolwork, and how my favorite thing to do is sit… and do nothing… for half an hour. I had forgotten how to do that before, always trying to squeeze all the fun and productivity out of an evening or a weekend. I am no longer bored, ever. If I don’t have to do anything on some rare occasion, I just… don’t do anything. And I surely don’t feel guilty. On Saturday after we walked to check the mail, we sat on the porch in the surprisingly warm November sunshine and flipped through magazines. We had stuff to do, places to go, decisions to make, but we sat there. And I was completely, utterly relaxed. Now when I have a break from all the stuff I’ve signed up to do, I most want sit, and be, and look around me. And be with you.

It’s interesting how being so busy has made me appreciate free time. I know that sounds obvious, but I wonder if I’ll ever go back to thinking about my time the way I did before I started school. I now know how much free time I actually had before, and how much I don’t have now. Now I’m excited if I have enough time to do a load of laundry! Or call my sister! Or go for a walk! Or on one memorable occasion, to go grocery shopping because class got out early - an 8pm. I didn’t know I could miss grocery shopping. Of course if I don’t go shopping I’ll run out of chocolate, and that would be a DISASTER.

Most of all, dearest husband, I now appreciate the time I spend with you. It’s not as much time as before, so I just appreciate each bit of it even more. Watching Monty Python and the Quest for the Holy Grail was a definite highlight of my last week, as was “helping” you in the wood shop. Sitting in the den right now while you finish some website stuff, listening to music, is about as close to peaceful as I can get.

The past 3 months of craziness has also reinforced what I already knew about you, which is that you are… amazing. We learned in social work class about how many social work students’ marriages don’t survive the trip through grad school. I never worry about that with you. You are my safe haven, my home, my support. If you were a kind of wood you’d be walnut, of course. Strong and sturdy. And attractive :). And when times get a bit tough with me gone or tired or busy all the time, just remember, it’ll all be worth it when you can “retire” and become a full time wood geek. And I’ll keep bringing home #21, just to keep you fond of me.