This Isn't What She Signed Up For

I was thinking about my wife today, and about how thankful I am for her.  Among other reasons, the one that has stood out the most over the past few months, is how supportive she is of me.

When we very first got engaged, and before that as well, we talked a lot about a lot of things.  We discussed goals, and how we wanted our house ran.  We decided that she would put me through school and that I would become a therapist, then I would work and she would be a stay at home mom.  I hadn't looked into Yoga, or Buddhism, or any other Eastern thought.  I never wore sweats, and I never wore shorts.  I thought I had a lot of things figured out, and because I'm so opinionated, I'm sure she had no reason to think that any of those opinions would ever change.

Well, they did change.  I decided not to become a therapist, and my wife pushed me to try writing (something I had always dreamed of doing, but which I had thought was a little too risky).  We discussed how much money I would make, and realistically realized that it may not be that much, but that if I am moderately successful and love it, that she would continue teaching, and I would be a stay at home dad.  This semester, as most of you know, I've fallen in love with Yoga, and how great it makes me feel.  I've also started looking into Buddhism, and how some of those practices might help me come closer to God.  I wear sweats now, most of the time, and my wife talked me into shorts last summer.  My opinions have changed drastically.  I don't have anything figured out (which I'm told is normal the older that you get), but I'm still just as opinionated.

A few weeks ago, while my wife and I lay in bed, I turned to her and said, "_______, this isn't really what you signed up for is it?"  She gave me a puzzled look, and told me she didn't know what I meant.  I rehearsed to her what I wrote above, about how much I had changed, and how I certainly wasn't the person that she married.  She thought for a while and said, something to the effect of, "Paul, you are the man I married.  I knew you were passionate, and I knew that things would change.  You still love me, and you're still what I want."

I still don't think this is what she signed up for, but it's nice to know that she's still supporting me no matter what.  I've been told, a few times here in blogger world, that it's so great that I'm so loyal to my wife.  Now, I'm not saying that there aren't assholes who step out on some pretty great women, but I really can't take all the credit for how loyal I am.  My wife deserves at least half of that credit, if not like ninety percent of it.  I'm not saying that I wouldn't be loyal if I had married a shrew, but my wife sure makes being loyal easy.