Each morning, I wake to an empty bed as my alarm goes off, and I find myself thinking, "I wish my husband were here to wake up with me," especially as I juggle getting the kids and myself ready for school—let alone on time.
After a long day at work, I rush home to pick up the kids, only to come back to an empty house.
As I start prepping dinner, I can't help but think, "I wish my husband could be here to enjoy a hot meal with us," as I try to balance making food and keeping our little ones from destroying the house.
By the end of a hectic week, when all I long for is to relax and enjoy time with my children, I often catch myself wishing, "I wish my husband could be here to hang out with us."
It's in those moments that frustration creeps in—frustration with the demands of his job, the long hours, the weekends spent away, and the precious little time we get to spend together. I try to remind myself that, as a coach's wife, I knew what I was signing up for.
But some days, I wonder, "Did I really know?" I question myself as my toddler throws a tantrum on the floor, I leak from nursing and need to pump, and my baby's nap is cut short by a sudden outburst.
"Did I really know?"
But in the midst of the frustration, loneliness, and overwhelm, I turn to God, asking for a reminder of the purpose behind it all. And He always answers.
Every Friday night, as I watch my husband pour himself into his work with dedication, I'm reminded that he is exactly where God has called him to be. That reminder came to me even more clearly recently at signing day, when every athlete took a moment to thank my husband for his commitment to them.
As I left that morning, I, too, found myself thanking God for that simple but powerful reminder. The next morning, I woke up to another empty bed, but this time, my thoughts shifted. "I wish my husband were here to wake up with me… But I know he's picking up kids, making sure they get to practice and school on time."
When I walk into our house after school, with groceries and kids in tow, I think, "I wish my husband could have dinner with us, but I know he's the last one to leave the building, making sure every kid has a ride home."
And on a busy Saturday, when I'm running around trying to keep the kids entertained, I remind myself, "I wish my husband could be here to hang out with us, but he's out there showing young men what hard work and dedication truly look like."
It's in these moments, these small yet powerful reminders, that I realize the ministry my husband is living out as a coach. Though the days can be long and, at times, lonely, God continuously sends me the reminder that my husband is exactly where he needs to be.