Egbert Family

43 Days 

and 

43 Ways

that England reminds me of you

For the next 6 weeks, I will be commandeering Rachelle's blog to show her some of the things I am seeing in England that make me think of her. I wanted so badly for her to be with me here. Her level of support while I make this trip has been tremendous, and I hope this helps her feel like a part of it.

No one in this wide world has a more supportive wife than I. Rachelle knows, by name, every single professor and colleague I have ever worked with. When she asks me about my schedule for the day, I tell her who I plan to meet with and what research I intend to work on. She will then ask me very specific questions about the status of my various ideas, projects, grant proposals, and writing. She knows more about my dissertation research than my committee chair, and he is quite involved. She is an exceptional listener when I talk through my ideas, and she has offered valuable suggestions that have greatly improved my work. I am convinced Rachelle deserves a degree in Applied Linguistics when I graduate. She has created more of my test study flashcards than I have, and she is a better linguist than many I know. 

Rachelle is supporting this trip because we felt that it was right. Just as importantly, she is supporting this trip because she loves me. She is working far harder than I am while I'm away. I don't tell her these things enough, and I want to do better. I just hope that during our lives together I will be presented with opportunities to give her the type of love, encouragement, and support she constantly gives me.

I love you, Rachelle. You have been the one by my side during almost every major decision I have ever made. You have been the one I turn to when everything seems to be falling apart. You are the one who reminds me of how God has watched over our family. You are the one who assures me that he will do it again. And you are always right.

I know our family is on the way to our own promised land. Until then, thanks for traveling the wilderness with me. On second thought, maybe sharing life with my best friend and three wonderful kids is my promised land.