and my husband is at camp! No fancy dinners tonight, just me, the kids and pizza. I’m not too bummed, we will get ourselves some “reservations” next week. Well, I thought I would take this time to remind myself and publicly affirm just how great my husband is. He really is the smartest person I know. He makes me laugh even when I don’t want too. I know he loves me and our kids more than church and work or anything (except God).? He knows how to make me feel safe, and? good about who I am. He always tries to understand what I am going through, even if there is no possible way. I know our family is blessed by God because of Jeff’s leadership and faithfulness. He puts others first and tries to see the other perspective. He knows he is not always right, and doesn’t try to be. I respect him, I respect the way he works, I respect the passion he has for people and? the Lord. He is a good man. I am super lucky, and I love him so much.
Happy anniversary Jeff! I love you.
Amanda
Now ladies…go kiss on your husbands and tell them how much you love them 
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I’m Amanda Maguire and I have been “Married to a Youth Pastor” for almost 12 years now. We have 3 kids, Dylan (8) and Molly (6) and Scotty (3). I worked in full-time youth ministry for 4 years, got married and got a “real job”, allowing me to continue to be a volunteer in youth ministry for another 4 years. We started having kids and now I’m just married to the Youth Pastor. I have great friends and a fun life! I have a passion and a calling for wives just like me, married to a Youth Pastor.
I love to write.
I love to do creative activities.
I love to run.
I love to shop.
I love to dine out.
And I would love time to do any of these things more.
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Amanda,
Thanks so much for sharing with all of us. I hope that this weekend will fly by for you. I am going to pray that it will be a calm weekend.
Reading your blog makes me smile. I’m still in college… studying youth ministry… wondering what life holds for me.
God Bless you and your family.
I hope you have a wonderful anniversary! Even if it is after the fact. My husband and I have been married for 3 years and we have spent two of them apart due to ministry. So, I know what you mean. Thank you for showing us that loving your husband while he is away does more for your relationship than nagging at him.
Hey Amanda– I’ll say a prayer for you. I get soooo jittery sometimes when Steven is gone- cut and paste the link from below if you’re intrested in making yourself feel better. It’s my account of the last time my husband was out of time. I’m not usualy that much of a sissy- but hey I think you might understand a bit!! blessings and Happy Anniversary!
http://www.whatsupwithus.wordpress.com/2008/05/17/confession/
Hi Amanda,
Wow, how encouraging it has been to read your blog:) My husband sent me the link today knowing how it would make me laugh and feel slightly less crazy and alone in my position of the “youth pastor’s wife.” My husband and I just had our first anniversary and we both spent the day in bad with our laptops doing homework…later that evening he had a meeting at church. You know, I am more in love than ever.
I look forward to checking in more often.
Grace and Peace to you.
Love it! Yes, I hear sharing your married celebrations of life with ministry. We are in our third year of marriage but were at winter camp a week after we got home from our honeymoon, at winter camp on our first anniversary (both times in our respective cabins), and small group night in our home seems to conveniently fall on Valentine’s Day each year. Anyhow, we continue to learn balance between sacred time for ourselves and sharing those special moments with the studens we love. I’m curious to know how others set boundaries with such occasions. Is it ever okay to say, we’re canceling or scheduling something around a day to celebrate us? I actually had one woman challenge me with the idea that letting ministry trump our “occasions” teaches students that our marriage isn’t high on our priority list. Your thoughts? PS~My husband just sent me this website today and I love it. Thanks for being a real and transparent with us.
Wow, Lori-
I’m not sure that woman has an accurate idea of what ministry is. Ministry is sacrifice. You may just have to move your anniversary or Valentine’s days to another date on the calendar. Been married for 14 years and for 10 of those anniversaries we were at summer camp with 150 of our high schoolers-very romantic!! But, the get-away celebrations that we had planned for right after camp were awesome and so anticipated!! I know my husband loves me, but the whole ministry world can’t come to a halt for me. If it happens that hubby can take a special day off for a birthday every now and again then that’s bonus, but the best model you can be for those high-schoolers is to show them as functional a family that you can be with both sides willing to compromise. But, enjoy those special dates that you have set aside. Who says Valentine’s day can’t be February 17th?