Yes I am going to be corny enough to write a blog post in praise of my husband. A sort of “Ode to Proeun” though that would be really corny so we won’t call it that.

A few years ago I was talking to an old acquaintance. We were getting caught up on each other’s lives and I was sharing the vision Proeun and I had of moving to the country, living more self-sufficiently and simply and enjoying our growing family. She said, “Wow Amy you are so lucky that you met your soul mate.” While I do feel that Proeun is my soul mate, it’s not that easy, really, marriage is work and hasn’t always been smooth but luckily the rough patches have bonded us together in ways only tough times can.

Honestly when we married I still thought I wanted a suburban or urban home, a career in publishing, 2 children and plenty of time for plays, book readings, museum trips and book stores. Slowly my vision changed and now I am so happy it did. It’s been ages since I have been to a book reading or museum (other then the Children’s Museum). The only plays I have been to were for work and honestly I really didn’t “get” the last one. Oh and I have been reading the same book for about 2 months now. But I couldn’t be happier, though I could be better rested but that is a different story.

Anyway this blog is not about me it’s about him. I could never do this without him. He is the back bone of our farming operation–helping plan the fields and the successions, managing pests and weeds, doing the majority of the harvesting and all the lifting. In an effort not to strain my already stretched abdomenal muscles I call him over to help me whenever I come across and obstacle more then 20 pounds. This often means leaving his task to help. But he does it cheerfully and willingly every time. He even supports me in some of my more “quirky” (at least to the mainstream) ideas like spending the morning harvesting mullein and yarrow to make medicinal oil while he dutifully weeded.

Oh and did I mention that after he does this for about 3-4 hours in the morning he goes to drive a city bus for 8 hours before coming home and being a great dad and then staying up late with me talking about plans and dreams for the future. OK now you know a little bit about why we are so tired. We have been trying to go to bed earlier really.

Anyway supermen do exist. One time I was telling my dad how much I appreciated Proeun and he said, “I hope you tell him that.” I do every day but I wanted to be public in my admiration as well. As I said we have had to work at our marriage, it has been a humbling experience and one for growth but the feeling that we are in this together, we are each other’s best friends and soul mate and that we can accomplish anything is something every marriage can have.