My husband

This post is long overdue. I've been thinking about writing it since Mel and I celebrated our anniversary and Mel celebrated his birthday last month. I don't often tell Mel how proud I am of his accomplishments, but I should. And so I'll write what's on my heart.
Mel amazes me with his tenacity. He always strives for improvement- in his personal life, professional life, and with his fitness goals. Recently, he showed up to work and was notified by his Commanding Officer that he needed to report to lifeguard training that morning. When he came home to get his suit and towel he told me where he was going. I was a little surprised. Mel can swim, but he's never taken formal lessons so his swim strokes are less than perfect. I joked with him about it, and he said, "You don't think I can do it?" The challenge was on.
When he came home at the end of the first day he said a lot of people dropped out, but he was able to pass all the skills necessary to move on to the next day. Wow, I was impressed. When I asked him how he did it, he said, "I wasn't going to fail." That's something I love about him. When most people are willing to give up because the physical demands are too great, he keeps at it no matter what the pain.
By the end of the third day he passed the course and received his lifeguard certification. I know he's strong, but I'm pretty sure he passed all the requirements purely on his will to not fail.
He constantly sets goals for himself and works toward them. Mel is competitive. There's no doubt about it. At work when they do P.T. he tells me that he doesn't want others to beat him on runs. He'll be completely spent, but still manage to kick it up at the end and leave the other guys in the dust. This is one of the many reasons why I love him... but also why we don't play any sports together. His determination is inspiring to me and I'm thankful everyday for his example of perseverance.