My other half..

While waiting in line at the commissary I send Caleb a text message:"were you able to return the redbox movie yet today?-if not, want to go with me and return it?-go on a long-er bike ride to Walmart to?" I hit "send" thinking "no way is he going to be up for it" so I quickly texted again before he replied, "I haven't ridden with you in a long time... and would love to" but just as I was about to send it I got "sounds good!"... . I was pumped... and a bit surprised... the last time we rode bikes together was about a year ago on our anniversary- we went "geocaching" on our bikes-it should have been really fun, but this was what it ended up being: Caleb getting off his bike to go hike to the box while I waited for him, and that was after the fact that I literally threw my bike down on the ground and said I was "done,"- and I meant it! I did... Really... I had pictured us going for an "easy-stroll-type ride" so before we left our house I got my camera, only to walk outside and see Caleb filling our trunk with hiking type equipment and a bag of stuff... that's when I got a bit nervous as I looked at my shiney Huffy bike (that Caleb washed while I was inside!)... and looked back at his bike-the couple-HUNDRED dollar bike he had to get-the really nice kind that you have to buy the shoes the lock onto the pedals... he had the whole biker look down: special shoes, helmet, shorts, etc... and here I am... standing next to my (purple) Huffy bike with flip flops... after going inside to change shoes I came back out to him waiting for me in the car-when we got to the park area Caleb pulled out the map/locations of the caches that were in the area-with a range of difficulty level we had about 9- I had never done this before so expected it to be like an Easter egg hunt (which by the way, I am AWESOME at!)- oh no... Nothing like that... and the "bike trails" had been covered with fallen trees that had yet to be picked up/removed from the paths-so as my eve-amazing/always-excels-at-everything husband is jumping over LOGS like a pro-biker, I am getting off of my bike, trying to lift it over a log/getting caught on branches/getting back on my bike-only to see yet ANOTHER log 5 feet in front of me... Ugh! I felt bad for Caleb because he was really enjoying it, and as hard as I tried to keep smiling every time he stopped to look back at me and wait I had had enough... I was good for about another half hour but as Caleb kept wanting to do more (we did one maybe two caches together)- and work on the more difficult caches I threw my bike down... he found another cache and said we could go back home... that about sums up our last biking experience together... I totally forgot about it until I came out of the house, again, in flip flops and a pink bow in my hair/cute sunglasses on and saw Caleb putting air into my tires (after he had washed it!)- he again had on his bike outfit and filled a water bottle-yeah Walmart is off post and on the opposite end, but "is all of this needed?"-to return a movie? I had envisioned us riding side by side leisurely to Walmart... but as Caleb started the timer on his garmin/gps watch I knew it wasn't going to be exactly what I had thought... you see, Caleb is goal/task-oriented (which is why he excels at everything and is constantly raising the bar/standards and is an exceptional leader-yes, I am an extremely proud wife!) I am more into taking my time or just enjoying the trip/journey and the task will get done when it gets done... our bike ride wasn't as bad as the last one but I was trying my hardest just to keep up with him-at some point I even questioned him as to why he couldn't slow down a bit and enjoy it- but here's the thing:he was already going slow (for him) and being so patient with me... I just smiled to myself and thanked God for giving me him-he completes me and encourages me- supports me and in every way my better half-time and time again he is the one I go to for advice and look to... Caleb is my best friend and I know that we are two completely different people (you should have see us yesterday looking totally opposite-him in his outfit and me in mine...) I couldn't imagine not being with him and going through life's challenges, opportunities, and blessings... even while I was sweating and getting frustrated for not keeping up and having him have to wait I remembered how blessed I am- Caleb has been there for me through so much-walking side by side-leading the way-looking back and checking in with me... Encouraging me and cheering me on... if something doesn't seem right he stops-waits and won't go forward until everything is fine... I sometimes forget that going through everyday stuff and my "routine" that I needed that bike ride to step back and see that-remember just HOW he cares for me and HOW he completes me... God is good and put us together.... I thank him every morning and night for him... but last night as I was having my evening talk with the "man upstairs" I couldn't stop repeating "thank you for giving me Caleb-for giving me my other/better half-he completes me perfectly- thank you!"