FOR BETTER OR WORSE â—½ MARRIAGE
If my husband didn’t have a career in ranching, he would probably be a food critic. He has really high standards when it comes to food, and he tends to critique every meal he eats. Whenever we go on a vacation, he bases his rating of the whole trip on the quality of the food. To put it simply, he’s a guy who appreciates a good meal.
That being said, food must not have been the way to his heart, because when we first got married I couldn’t cook. Poor guy! It wasn’t that I was a bad cook. I just literally didn’t know how to cook hardly anything. I guess it wasn’t something I’d ever really been taught, and I hadn’t had much experience since I was only 20 years old. Not only that, but we didn’t have much money since we got married in college. So those first few years consisted of a lot of Ramen noodles, grilled cheese, frozen food, and Hamburger Helper. Bless my husband’s heart, he put up with my nonexistent cooking skills and didn’t kick me to the curb.
Over the years, especially since becoming a stay-at-home-mom, I’ve been able to teach myself how to cook. Since it’s something I have to do anyway, I decided I might as well do my best. Now I have quite a stack of recipes we enjoy, and I’m constantly finding new ones to add to the list. I’ve built my skills one day at a time, and I’m actually a pretty good cook now (humbly speaking, of course.)
Every step of the way, my husband has been graciously supportive. Even if it isn’t the best meal or when I try a new recipe that ends up being a flop, he always makes sure to thank me for dinner. He’s not afraid to tell me what he doesn’t like, but he’s also extremely encouraging whenever he does like something I make. He compliments me and makes sure I know he appreciates my hard work.
Being able to grow this skill for my husband and family is something I’m grateful for. Looking back on those early days, I can’t help but laugh and wonder how we even survived. Growth doesn’t happen overnight, but it does happen if we try. Sometimes we mess up, sometimes we get it wrong, but eventually we can look back and see how far we’ve come.
Cooking great meals for my family is a great feeling, but nothing beats knowing it makes my husband happy. Hearing him praise a good meal is worth every bit of effort that’s gone into it over the years. And it’s why I’m going to keep improving my skills as much as I possibly can. That’s because it’s not really about the food. It’s about showing love to my husband in a way that means a lot to him.