Misha

I have a lot to be grateful for, and there is a certain someone who belongs very high on the list. You might know her as Michelle. You might know her as Misha. A few know her as Mama. Or you might not know her. But trust me - she is special.

She is a wife. We were married in 2009, so she has logged quite a few years of gracefully putting up with farm smells I occasionally bring home with me, encouraging my pursuit of hobbies that don’t interest her at all, listening to and occasionally responding to my venting after a difficult day, allowing me to be an introvert, and accepting me despite the fact I am not a swimmer. We have some helpful common ground with faith-based priorities, financial management, and meaningful (less hobby-like) passions. I’m convinced we maintain a decent balance in our roles, despite possibly breaking a few norms with some of them.

She is a mother of three. She teaches them. She plays with them. She cooks and cleans with them. She jokes and laughs with them. She is incredibly patient and forgiving with them.

She is a teacher – a good one, in my opinion. She does the lion’s share of homeschool teaching for two of our children, and she also finds good ways to support our third who is going to public school. She often teaches a class at our homeschool co-op. She teaches English as a Second Language classes at our local community college, engaging with adults who have come from many different countries around the world. Sunday isn’t always a day off, since she can often be found teaching a Sunday School class or Children’s Church. In the summer, she is a coach for the swim team. This is definitely one of her favorite activities, using all of those skills acquired as a competitive swimmer.

She is a leader. She helped get the homeschool co-op we participate in started, and she continues to help with administration of it. The fact that we were newbies in town didn’t cause her to shy away from those things. Even more recently, she has gotten involved in campaigning for a ballot measure which would entail a 1% local sales tax increase to fund the building of a new indoor aquatic center.

This list is far from over.

She is an amazing cook. It isn’t always flashy, with multiple courses and mind-boggling presentation on the plate, but it almost always tastes amazing. The only downside when she makes a particularly amazing meal is that she can rarely duplicate it, because following a recipe isn’t the way she typically cooks. She is incredibly skilled at adapting a recipe for missing ingredients or simply to make it better. It’s a miracle I don’t weight A LOT more than I do.

She is a missionary. She has worked in Bible translation for almost 20 years. No, that is not a typo. 20 years! I’m amazed by her perseverance. In the wee hours every morning she is at her computer, oftentimes having a Swahili conversation I can eavesdrop on.

She is an invaluable editor, and a good writer too. She easily incorporates a lot of good personality into her writing. As for my writing, let’s just say that she reviews almost everything I write before it goes public, helping make it much better than it was before I sent her the draft. Yes, that includes this blog post, awkward as that was for both writer and editor.

Lastly, she is an amazing companion. She is a wise and patient sounding board when I need to process thoughts or frustrations. I enjoy being around her. I feel supported when I’m around her. It is an honor to live daily life with her. I’m blessed, for sure.