We're home!  

I had planned on a few recovery days when we got back to unpack both literally and mentally but do you know what the husband of mine did?  He woke up early with the Luke and entertained him while the rest of us kept sleeping all while doing the majority of the unpacking.  Right?  I was pretty proud of myself for not going all nuts and getting everything done last night when we got home at 11 p.m. like I normally do after a trip and letting it just sit for a night.  Then I woke up to that because he's the best.  The laundry is pretty much done, so now what left is there to do as I sit here in my pajamas at three p.m. on this planned day off than blog?  I suppose I should shower in a bit, too, huh?  Noted.  I do have a few more thoughts and photos to share from the big trip that I may have to subject you to but I wanted to focus a moment on a suggestion for tomorrow's feast of Saint Joseph the Worker.

By all means, get to Mass if you can, read Rerum Novarum or  Centisumus Annus for an intellectual jolt, and make your fancy dessert (I hope to do the same!).  All great things, of course.  But in honor of tomorrow's day I'd also like to officially declare tomorrow The Day of Doing Something Extra Nice for Your Hard-Working Husband.  I should probably come up with a better name than that, though.  I'll work on it.  In any event, I think the good Saint Joseph (and more importantly Our Lord!) would be so pleased with an effort by us wives to honor the men who work so hard, often at thankless jobs, to care for their families.  I'm guessing most of your husbands are not necessarily working at a job that is constantly gratifying and would qualify as their dream job.  I know mine's not.  And yet they do it anyway to love their family and provide.  

So want to go all virtual accountability partners and do it with me? 

Some Ideas:

•Show up at his office with a treat or to take him out to lunch.

•Have something special prepared when he comes home from a long day of work.  

•Forgo the peck on the cheek or the off-handed and often distracted goodbye and give him a real hug and kiss (you know the kind) before he leaves in the morning. 

•Tell him how grateful you are for how he provides.  It does a man's heart good to know that he has what it takes to provide for his family and especially, that his wife is proud of him.  He needs to hear that from you.
•Offer him a back rub tomorrow evening just because you're grateful. 

•Don't throw the kids at him as soon as he walks in the door.  Instead, make an extra effort when he gets home to have the house the way he likes it...whether that's peaceful and clean or loud and fun, do your best to have that for him.

•Leave a note in his car or in his briefcase for him to find where you and the kids just say thank you for the work he does.

•Do one of the chores that he normally tends to.  (Extra credit if it's one that you know he doesn't care for!)

•Fast from something for him and offer your daily frustrations and work for him. (And no cheating by telling him :)

And, of course, pray for him.  Pray for your family, your husband, and your marriage.  Pray that he may be strengthened to be the man that God wants him to be through the intercession of Saint Joseph and that his work (and your own work) is successful and can be a path to holiness.

Any other ideas to share?  I'd love to hear them.  And if you need some accountability (I sure do...hence this blog post), go on and leave a commitment in the comments of how you will honor your family's Joseph tomorrow.