I think it was after the first time I heard the Brett Eldredge song “Mean to Me”on the radio, I came home and asked Mark, “Babe, why can’t YOU write ME a sweet country song like that?!” I did actually ask him this, but in all honesty, Mark does more for me than writing a country song ever could. I am so incredibly blessed to call him my husband and the last three years of marriage have been such a beautiful journey. {In case you missed Our Anniversary Story from Monday, you may want to start there first.}
Without further ado, I felt it was time you learn more about the man who stands beside me in everything I do. It may not be a country song, but this blog post sure made it’s way right to my heart. ?
Hey everyone! I’m Mark, Lisa’s husband! Today, I get to celebrate being married to my better half for three years! Three years has gone by SO fast! I am so proud of Lisa’s blog and her dedication to sharing life experiences with ya’ll. She asked me to introduce myself on this special day of ours, so here it goes:
I grew up in Brookfield, WI and am the youngest of three (older brother and sister). I am blessed to have grown up in a Christian family, and my parents sacrificed a lot to send all three of us to private Lutheran schools up through high school. Although my faith has been challenged at times through the years, it is a core of who I am and I try my best to let my light shine to others in everything I do. Lisa and I share this foundation and mentality and it has shaped our love and marriage…but more on that topic on Friday.
Some of my fondest memories of my childhood were our family trips to Florida, annual week long camping trips with the extended family, trips to see the grandparents, playing with my brother and sister (even if I was annoying to them), and the traditions of the holidays (Thanksgiving and Christmas). To be honest, part of me has a sadness that life seems to go by all too quickly, with the realization that those family traditions from when I was younger won’t continue forever. At the same time, I am excited to start the traditions with Lisa and our girls – Christmas was a blast last year, and Lisa and I hope to start our annual weeklong trips up north this year! I hope that I continue to learn to slow the pace of life down so that I can absorb and cherish life and its moments with the people that I love.
Speaking of pace, my work can sometimes set that tone. I have been working for the past 10 years for a public accounting firm in Milwaukee and am currently a Senior Manager in our risk advisory practice. Yes, when Lisa and I started dating she thought I was going to be a big nerdy accountant with a pocket protector and all. Life in my profession can be very demanding, and often times results in significant amounts of travel. I’ve been very fortunate to work for a company and with a team that is supportive of work/life balance, allowing me to travel less than I used to — because juggling a demanding career, supporting Lisa and being present to raise our girls requires a lot of time and focus – and has been an adjustment. Gone are the days of easily leaving in the very early morning to go to work or having flexibility to stay later at night without coordinating ahead with the family schedule. One of the struggles that I have had to overcome is that feeling of guilt for leaving early before the girls are up, or staying late to finish a project. I do what I can to make both my work and my family each priorities and find some balance in it all. Lisa has been extremely supportive in helping us adjust to our new lives as parents, and I am thankful for her patience and ‘supermom’ powers.
My greatest joy by far has been being a dad and watching our two daughters grow. Being a parent is such a rewarding journey (yes, even on those tough days with a 2-year old toddler ?). Sometimes I feel like it is all surreal where I have to tell myself, Mark, you are a dad, and these girls are looking up to you. Although that thought can sometimes seem overwhelming to me (am I doing the right things, am I setting a good example), I remind myself that I couldn’t ask for a better partner, and know that Lisa and I will work as a team to raise them together.
Family photo from last Easter!
Outside of spending time with Lisa and the girls and my work life, I enjoy going for runs, golfing, traveling, camping, and music. You could also add lawn watering to that list – as we recently built a new house and had our landscaping put it. Said lawn watering has quickly been forced as a hobby in my life (it’s like a puzzle trying to set up your sprinklers in the most coordinated and efficient way possible).
Music is a passion of mine. I regret that I never learned to play any instruments growing up, outside of the recorder (not sure that even counts). Although Lisa has successfully acclimated me to country music, I have a strong liking to EDM (Electronic Dance Music). I blame this on a high school trip to Europe when ‘techno’ was the big thing, even though it was made fun of in the US. Lisa asked that I put together a new playlist for her half marathon training and said she will be sharing that with you soon. You’ll have to let me know what you think.
I consider myself extremely lucky to have an amazing, beautiful wife, and two adorable, precious daughters. I look forward to spending time with Lisa this week, celebrating and reflecting on the blessings we have. My hope for us, and my advice to others, is to slow down and cherish the moments you have with family and friends. Life seems to fly by too fast, and it’s easy to lose focus on the calling we have for being on this earth.
Happy anniversary, Lisa!