For Better or for Worse

To any of you that are married, u have uttered those words. Myself, I said them 19 years ago. I really dont sit and ponder on my wedding vows, maybe we all should and therefore divorce would not be so high. In the last 8 months those words have been tested and cherished. Last July I lost my kitchen manager. He had been with me almost 3 years, here I was in the middle of a recession, no money and no manager. Shelby, my husband ,said he would take over temporarily. That has been 8 months ago and he is still here. Shelby and I are complete opposites. I'm a morning person, I'm hyper and loud. I get cranky when I dont eat and when I do eat.... well I eat alot more than him and get GIDDY over great food. Everything in my life has a place, I'm neat. He is a night owl, never wakes up to an alarm clock, he is quite, unless he is with friends. He would rather have a Dr.Pepper than a great meal. Im not sure he knows what a closet is for. The two things we have in common..... we adore our boys and we both have a crazy sense of humor, we laugh alot. We now share something else... The love of the CIG. Shelby's life has changed so much in the last year, and he has never once complained. He went from owning his own busines, working the hours he wanted to and making a nice living, to working at the CIG, getting up at 3:30 everyday, working 12 to 15 hours a day  and working for free. The change for both of us have been hard. We try not to bring work home with us, but well ya know we are human. We do not have personal space anymore. He has made my kitchen into a strong force that can hold its own, the best it has ever been, I'm proud of him. We are learning to listen to each other, and yes that is very hard for me. I'm use to everyone at the CIG doing it my way, well sometimes he has a different way....does that tick me off, more than any of u know, but if I just listen, usually great things happen. Shelby loves and respects what the CIG has become, he is my biggest fan. I in return have become his biggest fan. Its not all roses, sometimes I look at him and think I dont even like him and I have to go home with him, seriously yall its hard and for him well I bet he would not put it in those words. A few weeks ago we were short handed in the kitchen, him and I were working side by side hard and determined not to let anything fail. Thats when it hit me, working with your spouse.... we truly had each others back. We work together with a common goal, great food, great service and giving our guest a great show. We are learning to embrace who we are. I dont know if I recommend working with your spouse, we are still learning how to do it, but I do believe this is what the Lord had intended when I opened the CIG 3 years ago.Tomorrow is Valentines day, in 19 years we have never spent the whole day together, but now its different. Have the changes been hard, you betcha, sometimes I miss my alone time at the grill, when I get really mad I'm use to going into my office and everybody letting me cool off..... well now he follows to make sure I'm ok. Does he miss his late nights and no alarm, running his own business, absolutely. We are a work in progress. We are creating a new normal. Where I use to love my alone time in the car to and from the grill, I now share with him and we make compromises, I drive at 3:45 in the am to work and he drives home. I am a woman owner, in a mans world, people assume that he is the owner.... does that bother me yes, I would not be honest if I said it didn't, but I'm learning to deal with that. The last 8 months has changed us, I believe we are better for it, I also believe our marriage is better. We have a new level of respect. I really do not know how long we will work together, but I'm beginning to like it. Can u imagine working everyday with your spouse? Its hard but for right  now it feels right. I'm  blessed to have Shelby apart of the CIG!!!!