At the end of May and beginning of June, I tackled a project that grew exponentially. A little idea that took on a force of its own with the help of local media. As a result massive amounts of time disappeared as I collected and sorted boxes and bags of items for Joplin.

But it ended up not just being me. There were so many people who stepped up to help. I can’t possibly list them all. One person has to be acknowledged though.

When you’re married, anything you do, either your spouse supports or endures. I expected my husband to endure my little Joplin project. It had a defined end date, so I thought we could endure as a family for the little more than week of chaos.

Instead, my husband logged practically as many hours sorting as I did. He loaded more boxes on the truck. He carted boxes back and forth across our pretty large truck. And he generally supported me…most importantly by telling me he was proud of me at my most tired and overwhelmed moments.

I also got a note from my mom at a moment when I was drained that gave me the energy to go another round with mounds of items that needed to be sorted. 

It reminded me how important it is for us to truly support the efforts of our spouses, friends, and family. Those simple words: “I believe in you.” “I support what you’re doing.” “I’m proud of you.” Mean a lot. They can energize an otherwise weary person.

So thank you for coming alongside me, not just in word, but in time and action, too. Love you, Eric!