The Romantic.com

ONE TRADE FOR ANOTHER

submitted by: Judy Palkovic

My husband Tom (a machinist by trade) is from Canada and I am from Pittsburgh, PA. We met online just about 4 years ago in April of 1998 and we were married finally after an agonizing long-distance relationship in April in Colonial Williamsburg, VA.

Until this fall when Immigration and Naturalization cleared him for his work authorization, Tom was at home and I worked. This morning, he just started his first job in a different trade at an auto body shop here in the U.S. understandably, he was incredibly nervous. Not only had he not worked for months since he moved here to marry me, but also this job is in a different field than he was trained in…and starting a new job is daunting as it is let alone in a new country!

Since he had been so supportive of me during my transition of jobs this past summer, I wanted to return the favor. Every morning he was up early with me and had always packed my lunches with a special love note tucked inside and made me tea to take on the road. So last night, I made his lunch with leftover turkey from Thanksgiving and all of his favorites to save him time from rushing around in the morning

Tucked inside among chocolates from Canada was a special note to my husband telling him how very proud I am of him for taking this step for us. I told him that no matter what the outcome of the day, I would love him more than ever for having the courage to leave his country and start anew with me here.

Tonight, when he returns from work, I plan on cooking a special dinner just for him by candlelight followed by a soaking, bubble bath and a pampering massage. I’m baking him a batch a cookies for his lunch tomorrow, too.

It’s important not only to tell our loved ones that they’re valued and cherished but to demonstrate in our actions how important they are to us. I feel so fortunate that Tom and I can be together and I plan on letting him know in every event in our lives no matter how big or small that I am there for him, that I’ll do whatever I can to make his burden easier and his quality of life better.