The Big Guy

If I'm going to be as cool as Shelly (see her link if you have no clue who she is) I'd better introduce each member of the family in an individual post. I know our family know who we are, but many of our friends only know one or the other of us. So, I'll start with Rob.

Rob is.....boy, it's hard to start describing him. He's like an onion...he has many layers. (Thank you, Shrek!) He is by far and above the greatest guy ever and I really don't know where I would be with him in my life. I always tease him that he was raised right, but it's the truth. (Thanks, Jim and Leanah!) He is a gentleman, but not a sissy, he knows his way around both a kitchen and a woodshop, and he changes diapers and wrestles with two little boys. He's my best friend and my spiritual guide, he's both a teacher and a learner, and he, like me, has no fashion sense. (Aside: I am using way, too, many, commas!)

Rob was born and raised in Illinois and only lived in two houses his entire life. He went to the same church and school through high school, then went to Maranatha for three years until we married. Then the big change came: We moved to California. We had so much fun in those early years getting to know the Golden State. Rob is a lot of fun to pal around with and just as nerdy as me, so we saw all kinds of things out there.

Rob was a teacher for seven years at a school in San Jose, right along with me. I have to admit that I wasn't sure he'd make it at first. Don't get me wrong, I knew he could teach, but the many small teachery tasks we undertook almost did him in. He never did turn in lesson plans consistently and rarely had a clean classroom, but I can honsetly say that he was one of the best teachers I ever knew. Rob had such a heart for those kids. He cheered when they succeeded, both academically and spiritually, and he felt he failed them when they failed. He took their failures very hard and prayed for those kids daily. He never won teacher of the year (what's up with that?) but he sure deserved far more than most of the staff. Few of our fellow staff members loved those kids like Rob. He taught them math and science in the classroom, but I know he showed them love everywhere he saw them.

Back in March of 2005, both Rob and I felt the call to missions, separetely, at a missions conference. We dedicated ourselves to the field, planning to leave the school in around five years. God had other plans for us. We both felt the need to leave after the 2005-06 school year and began to make plans to attend West Coast Baptist College. After an interesting turn of events, God led us to Wisconsin instead. Rob is now working on a degree in Biblical Studies with a minor in Missions (and possibly Greek). He wants to work on a Master's Degree after his undergrad and then see where the Lord leads. We have no leading toward a specific mission field, but as we think we'll be here for a few years, we're willing to wait for direction.

This summer, Rob is teaching the singles Sunday school class at church in June and August and will be teaching a Doctrine of Christ class in July. He's nervous, but I know he'll do well. He is also on the nursery committee and takes care of our desk area (paging parents, etc.) Guess who wrangled him into that one?

Rob is working at The Custom Shoppe currently, and loves his job. I don't know what the Lord has for him in the future, but he always says that the Lord isn't done with him yet. I hope not because I'd like to keep him just a bit longer. He doesn't have enough insurance yet....

I praise the Lord daily for bringing this wonderful man into my life. I can honsetly say that he is my better half. Someday we'll find that lost chapter to Proverbs, you know, the Proverbs 32 man. :) I'm sure Rob will fit it perfectly.