Hi, my name is Dave, and I am the guy behind the camera, here at They Call Her Smith. I am also the proud husband of the amazing lady, and father of the joyful children, that you get to see and read about each week. I am thankful that you have the opportunity of these glimpses into our family, and the chance to experience some of the depth of character, and wit, and talent of my incredible bride. But this is only a glimpse, and cannot come close to painting the whole picture of the amazing woman that I have now had the privilege of knowing for over half of her life. When she asked if I would be willing to write a short guest post for her, I jumped at the chance, and immediately decided to try and give you a little more in-depth, behind-the-scenes perspective of this woman that I love.

Obviously, she is beautiful and very talented at expressing the vision that bubbles from within her, through her words and style and design genius, but what you see here is only a two-dimensional representation, in time lapse, of the depth of her beauty, the steadfastness of her character, the grit of her determination, the tenderness of her heart, the fire of her spirit, the dedication of her work ethic, and the fierceness of her love, that I am blessed to witness and experience each and every day. Her beauty is so much more than her physical features, which merely emit the glow that comes from within. It is the summation of her laugh, and loyalty, and innocence, and vulnerability, and genuine love for those around her, and ability to listen, and comfort, and cry.  Her character is expressed through her integrity and the way she tirelessly teaches our children right from wrong, and disciplines herself to consistently accomplish the routine and mundane, and her willingness to give up or postpone her dreams to facilitate those of others.  Her determination and work ethic are truly amazing to watch, as she tirelessly and relentlessly pursues her goals, and helps those around her achieve theirs.  From finishing her degree through 4 moves, to running a marathon, to starting her own business, to moving 13 times across the country for my work, to raising 4 kids, and tackling the challenge of homeschooling each of them, she displays her achievement, but she also shows her grit and loving dedication, daily, as she makes beds, and prepares meals, and does laundry, and cleans the house, and gets the kids to their sports and activities, and works on her business, and works on my business. Her heart bubbles over with tenderness, and patience, and humility, as she lovingly guides our children through the challenges of life. She seeks to truly understand how each of them learns, in order to nurture, encourage, grow, and develop their unique abilities. This is also made manifest in her recognition of the beauty of God’s creation around us, and her gushing over baby geese, ducks, lambs, and goats, and the care for our animals, and the way she comforts our children’s hurts, and prays and deeply cares for friends and strangers alike. This love is also fierce as she protects the innocence of our family, and loves, supports, and respects me, and my endeavors, and teaches our children about our Savior, and imparts her character, determination, and spirit to those around her.

Carrie is the heart and soul of our family, and I am so thankful, and grateful, and proud of the person and wife and mother that she is. As we approach this Mother’s Day, I am honored to publicly tell her how much I love her, and how much she means to me and our children!

Happy Mother’s Day, my darling, my bride, my best friend, my favorite person in this world. Thank you for who you are, and all you do!

“Strength and dignity are her clothing,
And she smiles at the future.
She opens her mouth in wisdom,
And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
She looks well to the ways of her household,
And does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children rise up and bless her;
Her husband also, and he praises her, saying:
 ^‘Many daughters have done nobly,
But you excel them all.’”

Proverbs 31:25-29