Happy Birthday, my biggest enabler

Today is my husband’s birthday. This means it’s going to be a short post, because I want to spend time with him. However, he’s currently distracted by a book. My book. My new book, on nalbinding. It arrived today and he’s sitting on the couch reading it. Yup, I have an awesome husband.

I’m lucky to have found a husband who can balance a love of the intellectual with a love of physical crafts and who can see the intellectual, abstract and art in the things we make which have practical uses. I can discuss his current research with him, and he can discuss why I’m selecting certain fibers for a particular yarn with me.

I figured on his birthday, I’d say a little about why he’s earned the monicker “TheEnabler”. It’s because that’s what he is – in all senses of the word. He helps enable me in my crafting and fiber arts. This encompasses the more “negative” connocations of “enabling”. He was on a work trip when AwesomeE came to visit and go to a fiber festival with me. At the same time our new dining table arrived, and he said he expected pictures of the table covered in our purchases. When we went to Maryland Sheep & Wool, I had to tell him that we were done shopping. He kept spotting new treasures for me to take home, including one skein he made me promise not to make into something for somebody else – whatever it became had to be something we’d keep.x

He also encompasses the positive aspects of “enabling”. He supports the time I spend on crafts and sees it as a core aspect of my wellbeing, as much as his ability to research the things that interest him. He listens attentively when I want to bounce ideas about my next project. He was an enthusiastic supporter when I submitted an article idea to Ply, reading both my initial idea submission and the final drafts of my article. He provides support that helps enable me to grow, stretch and push the boundaries on my knowledge and skills.

Also, he doesn’t think it’s weird or silly when I take my knitting with me to the bar. And he has good taste in clothing.

Happy Birthday.