A Vow Deconstructed

in sickness and in health,
to love and to cherish;
from this day forward,
until death do us part. 


On our wedding day, as we stand in our finest before our friends and family we repeat these vows and largely take them for granted. 


 Well of course I will bring you a blankie and the remote while you are laid up on the couch, I can make chicken noodle soup and rub your feet and I can run to the pharmacy.  If I must, I can clean up after you and I can definitely pick up the phone and call your mom to come save your ass.  


It's really when you have a few years of marriage under your belt and something arises that let's you really know what those vows mean. Maybe your husband falls off a bike and breaks a leg. All of a sudden your independent man needs your help and sometimes he's cranky about it. Or in my case I started a new medication this evening that is supposed to help with my ulcerative colitis.  


I read all the instructions and I even used the practice "pen" they gave me but lucky for me my husband is a family practice doctor and I asked him to do it for me. I laid on my back on the couch and he swabbed me with alcohol and gave me 4 different injections in my stomach. It hurt but I just pretended I was getting a tattoo. 


We cleaned up and I changed into some sweat pants since my tummy was sore and I asked him to please do bedtime and I would make him dinner.  After the kids were in bed I thanked him for giving me those injections and not being grossed out.  He said it was his pleasure and that he just wants me to feel better. 


To love and to cherish, he makes that very easy to do.