My Husband, My Best Friend

My husband, Frank, is an amazing man. He has gladly taken the back seat over the last few years of this blog becoming very successful, and has let me shine through it. 

But Frank deserves the spotlight today because he has changed my life in so many ways. 

Frank has chased my dreams over the past 8 years of marriage, he has made it his life’s mission to make me happy, and he has seen me at my EXTREME worse. 

Frank is 37 years old, born to a Sicilian mother and an Italian father. His family migrated over to the United States and his family’s name was quickly changed from Rizzo to Ritz…because it sounded way too “Italian”. 

I, absolutely, adore his Italian family. They talk loud. They argue a lot. But they make GOOD food. 

Frank is the youngest of three boys. When he was 4 years old, his mother found him watching shows on TV from doctors performing surgeries and she knew right away that he would do something amazing with his life (and he did!). 

He excelled in school…way better than I ever did. He easily made straight A’s, and even in college when he barely attended classes, he made over a 4.0 GPA. I’m praying our kids have his brilliance! 

He attended the University of Florida and graduated with a degree in Exercise and Sports Science. Made sense since he had a deep rooted love and appreciation for understanding how the human body works. One month before he graduated from UF, his life was filled with tragedy as he received a phone call that his father passed away from a heart attack. He walked for graduation with honors and pride that he completed something that would have made his father proud…probably the hardest day of his life. 

Frank is one of the most loyal Americans I have ever met. He loves his country deeply. He prays for his country fervently…so many times I have heard his quiet prayers as he is watching the news or a new story on YouTube. He is so faithful and believes in this nation. He’s taught me so much about respect and love in this way. 

Frank learned how to be a Physician Assistant because of his passion and desire to help others. 

I knew how amazing my husband was…but it wasn’t till 4 years ago that I truly understood what it meant to have unconditional love for someone. I’ve told this story several times on my blog, but for those who are new, here’s the super short version and the role Frank played. 

I got a phone call my younger sister lost her boyfriend in a car accident. I talked with my sister and decided that I would go be with her. I took my newborn son and my 2 year old on a 4 hour road trip and spend the morning with my sister as she grieved and cried. Later that day, with my children in tow and our mother with us, we found my sister….she had taken her own life. 

Frank is the first one I called. And in less than 4 hours, Frank was by my side. The following months after her death are a blur, but I do remember the countless meals my husband made for me. I remember laying in bed while he sat in the living room folding piles of laundry. I remember him so effortlessly loving me through the devastation of losing a sibling. I remember all the kisses, the warmth of his strong hug, and I know several times he caught me when I couldn’t stand through the tears. 

Frank served me in every way a human being could serve. He never told me to “get over it” or had ANY expectations of what I should be doing…as a mother…as a wife….as a daughter of parents who lost their baby….as a sister. He got me and he saved my life. Our son was a newborn and Frank got up EVERY SINGLE night to care for him. Frank never expected me to do anything…he just served and served and served our family. He was God’s Hands taking care of me, holding me, and loving me through. 

Frank is passionate about teaching. He’s been a college professor recently and taught Physician Assistant Studies at a local college here in North Carolina. 

Frank watched me shine over the last few years. If it wasn’t for his love and encouragement, I would probably still be that depressed, grieving mother. But he encouraged all the crazy ideas I had. He encouraged me to write how I felt and to start blogging. He told me that there were people who wanted to hear my story. 

He allowed my dreams to become his dreams and my city-boy Frank Ritz is now a happy and content farmer. He let me buy goats and chickens and sheep….and the rest is history! 

He told me to keep going in my business online…and when my income surpassed his, he stepped down from his job and came home as a full-time father. 

Frank homeschools our daughter. He does all our laundry. He cooks 50% of our meals. He has knelt down at my feet next to me while I wasweeping on the toilet and miscarrying our baby….holding my hands…holding my heart…cleaning me up. 

He wakes up early and does all the morning chores. 

He does our grocery shopping…WITH BOTH KIDS…while I have some quiet time and work from home. 

Frank is all I could have prayed for in a husband, in a best friend. 

He blows my mind daily by his continual random acts of kindness and his humor. HIS HUMOR…how could I have forgot! 

Frank is funny. No he isn’t just funny…he makes me pee myself (thanks for those vaginal babies hun!). Oh and his smile……

He melts me. 

I love you Frank.