Stop, Drop and Blog

I’ve been asked this question a few times over the past week and a half: what’s it like being married to one of Redbook’s Top 25 Hottest Husbands?

Well, same as it always was.

He’s always been easy on the eyes. He turns heads. Our friend’s six year old daughter wants to marry him. (In fact, on Father’s Day, she gave FireDad the mug that she was supposed to make for her own Dad in Sunday School. Thankfully they’re friends… still.) Teenage girls working in fast food restaurants stumble over their words and blush when he gives his order. Teachers and moms alike at the local elementary schools inquire about his identity after assemblies on fire safety. Older ladies just love him to pieces. My friends routinely tell me that he is hot or attractive or sexy or handsome or cute or etcetera and so on.

It’s not like I don’t know he’s attractive. Have you seen his smile? It still makes me melt. His green eyes make me feel all mushy inside. Does all of the attention he receives get to me? Rarely. The teenage girls make me giggle because I remember having “goo-goo eyes” (a term BigBrother is using right now) for handsome, older men when I was working in my first few jobs. The teachers and moms are usually informed that he is married with children by those who know him. The older ladies make me smile and think about how I’ll react when a handsome twenty-something holds the door for me at church someday.

Very rarely has any female stepped over a line since he put a ring on his finger and made my hair stand on end. Like that one time that we were at a restaurant-slash-bar with my parents. My Mom and I got up to use the restroom. When we returned to our table, two females had descended upon both my father (!) and my husband (!) and were “making small talk.” My Dad and Josh were amused as were my  Mom and I after my cat claws went back in. I didn’t have to say a word. I just gave the look. I know you know the look. Whether you’ve given or received it or just witnessed it happening, I know you know that look.

So, all of the attention (from the newspaper articles to the local news station running the story) to the comments from everyone in the community hasn’t really fazed me. Yes, my husband is attractive. I don’t mind if you say so. I know where he sleeps at night. For two nights in a row, it’s in our bed. Then every third night he sleeps in a room with five other snoring men. I’m not all that worried. He’s still the same happy, goofy, loving, attentive, patient, loyal, hard-working, fun-loving husband and dad he’s always been. See picture to the left as an example from yesterday. (Best way to wear the kids out early for change-of-bedtime thanks to Daylight Saving Time? Visit the fire department after supper. Win.)

What has been interesting is the fact that my husband is suddenly getting all of the attention. I mean, hello? I’m the Internet Superstar here! I’m getting email for him, about him and offering him things. Any time we go out, people aren’t asking what I’m up to right now or what new projects I’m tackling. No. It’s all about Mr. Redbook! He is handling his fifteen minutes of fame rather well, complete with his signature perfect-toothed smile. I’m standing right by him, smiling my not-so-perfect-toothed smile as well. But it’s different, this not being in the spotlight.

I say this all in jest, of course. (Or, somewhat.) He isn’t a spotlight type person. That’d be me. Obviously. And soon enough, we’ll be gearing up for my chorale’s Spring Show and I’ll be thrust under the lights once again (with quite the sizable part this year). And, so, I suppose I could let him enjoy his little bit of fame right now. (I’m also pretty sure I owe him a steak. Or a Primanti’s sammich this weekend in Pittsburgh. Something, right?)

I mean, especially with an eight night, seven day vacation to the Cayman Islands running on that perfect smile. (You have voted for Joshua H, haven’t you? What? You didn’t see our initial announcement? Read this post. Then head to this link and vote for Joshua H. We’re serious. If we win, we’re vlogging the trip!)