My Husband

Arthur Joseph Cavanagh III

We just call him J. Isn't he handsome? 

When I was 15 years old, my mom came home from a basketball game and told me she saw the man I was going to marry. I wonder if she believed her own words when she made that statement, I didn't. 

J was just the most handsome high school freshman. He has always been very athletic and very competitive. He was a show-off and a knucklehead but he caught my attention and I liked him. There was a quality about J that was buried under the typical teenage boy front. He was respectful to adults, he knew manners and was very attentive to conversation (things most high school boys of the time lacked). He was, and still is, such a worker. He had a side to him that he kept private to most people; a wonder, a love, a curiosity. He has always had a meticulous mind and a devoted mind. I have seen this mind grow and evolve into something spectacular. 

 I married my best friend. Truly. Growing up together, experiencing the evolving of our personalities, our minds, our interests, exposing our weaknesses and together working through it and becoming stronger, has resulted in an absolute love, openness, and understanding of one another. There is no one I would rather spend my time with, whether sitting silently with no need of conversation or in great conversation, going to yoga, out to eat, or spending the day exploring every corner of Maine's coastline and good food! 

Let me brag a little here... In high school, J was that boy who played every sport and excelled. He was a star football player, basketball player and later wrestler. He was a good student and an incredibly hard worker. His summers consisteded of working construction for Reed & Reed (a local heavy civil engineering company) which paved the way for his future decisions. J went to college at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) where he played football his first few years and graduated with a degree in Civil Engineering. As he went through school his mind continued to develop and his junior year he finished with a 3.9 grade point average. He graduated in the top ten of his field. The early qualities of Js personality, his ability to communicate and be personable, set him above his peers and his advisor (who adores J) gave him a few personal contacts, one of which nailed him the job at CB&I. 

Now...let me brag about Jesus a little bit who had his hand in J's life through it all. I have always been a Christian, I love my Creator. My mom told me it is the testimony of grace. I know it is a blessing to have never battled with my Maker or my faith. J has always known of God growing up, but there was always a disconnect and a battle. I constantly tried to push my faith on J because I knew his potential, I knew his heart. It wasn't until college when God pushed me aside, reminding me that J was His, not mine. We had a sad, ugly breakup and I left. What God did in that time...only God can do. I came back to Maine in the summer to a new man with a fire for the Lord that was contagious. We were finally at the same level by Gods grace, not my effort, and we started dating again and here we are. 

During that time, God was also at work in his schooling and J just excelled. It seemed the stronger his faith, the stronger his grades. Funny how God works! At one point he requested to switch advisors due to some complications and differences in J's elective choices. The advisor told him that never, in his very long RPI career, had any student requested a transfer and asked why. J told him that he was an obstacle in what he wanted to do and so he went around him. It was Js new advisor who gave him the contact for CB&I. A little God wink moment. 

So my husband...my childhood sweetheart. my best friend. my strength. my joy. He showers me with the word, he provides for me, he loves me, he takes care of me, he cooks for me, he is a blessing in my life. He trusts me with his soul, his heart, his fears. He seeks my council, he respects me, and he makes me feel so loved. I love his intense eyes, his pondering eyes. I love his goofy smile. I love his face just because its just so handsome. I love his incredible mind for the Lord, for his work, and for me and our life. I love his ambition that never becomes prideful. I love that he knows all he is comes from the Lord and all he has is a blessing from Him. I love his stewardship, his discipleship, his desire to please God in all he does. I love how humble he is, how conscious he is, never short of recognizing his short comings and failures. I love how these short comings and failures are so small, so few yet so big in his eyes. I love when I think of the verse...

"Search me, O God, and know my heart!

Try me and know my thoughts! 

And see if there be any grievous way in me,

and lead me in the way everlasting!"

Psalm 139:23-24

...I think of J. I think of how he inspires me to do the same. I love how he loves his mother and cherishes his sisters. I love how he looks up to his father and is a blend of their best qualities. I love that he loves my family. I love that he loves my little nephews and niece. I love that he loves all that I am and all that I want to be. I love that he supports me in all that I want to do and encourages me when I fall short. I love that sometimes he asks me to sing to him. I love that he thinks every bit of artwork I create is the best thing he has ever seen. I love that I love him one thousand times more today than I did the day I married him. I love that this will only continue to grow. I love our story, i love our joyful life, and I am excited for whats to come. 

Thank you Jesus for giving me this man.