Day 13: A Beautiful Day

Today was a beautiful day.  Not only did we enjoy gorgeous traveling weather, but more importantly, we had a wonderful reunion with my husband.  He is doing so well, and I am so incredibly proud of him!

My husband is now clean-shaven, and he has lost a little weight.  His eyes are clear and bright, and his spirits are good.

Shaving his facial hair was my husband's first real test at the center.  Typically, the men entering the program are required to shave all facial hair, but my husband had worn a goatee since before we met, and he was very worried about what the children might think of him without facial hair.

One of the pastors at the center has a full beard, and he remembered how his young daughter reacted when she first saw him without a beard, so he decided to give my husband a pass.  However, within his first two days at the center, my husband decided to shave out of respect for the other men and as his first act of submission to the recovery process.

Before we left for our visit, I told the kids that their dad had shaved off his goatee.  Their solution -- bringing along fake mustaches to lighten the mood, which they did!  (And just for the record, even without facial hair, my husband is just as handsome as ever!)

There were a few emotional moments during our visit, but most of our time was spent laughing, playing, and catching up with one another.  Blackout is officially over, and we can now visit twice a month, receive weekly phone calls, and send and receive letters.

Today was a beautiful day, and the best is yet to come.  Thank you to all who have been supporting, encouraging, and praying for us.  My husband thanks you, too.