Lordy! Lordy!

They say age is just a number. And really, it is. But I think we can all agree that some numbers are bigger than others. Take 40 for example. It’s not that big of a number I guess. I mean, if you said there was a 40% chance of rain, I might still go to the beach. But if you told me I had to go out and run 40 miles, um, that’s insane. But 40 years, that’s not so bad if you’re kind of a risk taking, daredevil, live life to the fullest kinda guy. So, happy birthday to my sweets – may there be 40 more for us to enjoy together. I’m so glad you were born and so glad you chose me to be part of your life adventure. So, in honor of your big day, here are 40 reasons I’m glad you were born!

1. You make the morning coffee. I need it. Every day. And it is SO GOOD. In fact, I’d still be brewing coffee if it weren’t for you. I mean, the Keurig is good, but it doesn’t beat pressed West End.

2. You are an amazing cook, and I’m thankful that you cook for us most nights. I’m also glad that I bought you the Green Egg. Without you, the food wouldn’t be nearly as tasty. I mean, I couldn’t even get the thing started for Pete’s sake!

3. You love cars that look like Minnie Mouse’s shoe. It’s fun.

4. You lift heavy things, hang heavy things, remove heavy things from our house.

5. You kill the wasps that live around our home. I’m still a little suspect of your cup on a stick method, but it gives me a lot of joy to watch you try it. Unless you get stung. That doesn’t give me joy. Just the stick thing.

6. You call for takeout because you know I hate to do it.

7. You take Foster out to potty in the mornings when it’s ridiculously cold. Yeah, sometimes you don’t actually go out, but you open the door and face the cold air either way.

8. You’re good at elephant noises. You make the elephant noise 110x better than I do.

9. You don’t burn pancakes, and they’re always super good.

10. You are a great fashion consultant. Without you I wouldn’t have embraced the tights craze. With you, I look cool and my legs are warm. You also buy me things I would never buy for myself, and they look great!

11. You are a good Bridge Run buddy, even if your knees are old and rickety.

12. You always seem to know what’s wrong with my car and sometimes you can fix it yourself. If not, you talk to the garage guys so we don’t’ get ripped off. Oh, and you find someone to change my tire when you’re many, many, many miles away.

13. You clean the floors. I hate to clean the floors. You’re so good at it. No, really. I’m not just saying that so you’ll keep cleaning the floors. 

14. You keep us high tech. I know it kills you when I don’t see the need to upgrade my phone. Bless your little techie heart.

15. You negotiate house sales. Actually, you negotiate a lot of things, but this one I’d be completely worthless at.

16. You get us out of house purchases. I’m still sorry about that one, but I appreciate you for it.

17. You clean up half dead, half digested animals out of the yard/house. Yeah. I’m not too squeamish, but I invoke the husband’s role to do this job. Ick.

18. You do bath time. No one cries.

19. You listen to good music. And in turn, I listen to interesting music.

20. You often give me afternoons off to decompress/work out/shop. I don’t think you know how awesome that is.

21. You make special “Daddy loves Kate” treat bags. Yeah, she stashes them in her closet until the treats mold, but she cherishes those things. I love that.

22. You’re not afraid to confront non-handicapped people that park in handicapped spots. I think if more people had friends like Walter, they’d do that too. But you’re nice about it and most of all not afraid of the confrontation, and I think that’s cool.

23. You continue to explain physics and statistics to me, even though it’s a lost cause. You do it better than anyone I’ve ever met.

24. You really love bikes and that makes me smile.

25. You know history. Your first Trivial Pursuit pie piece is yellow. It’s my last. The kids will need you when they’re in school – I’ll be useless.

26. You go to work, sometimes to jobs you hate, to support our family.

27. You protect us. From wasps, from the paper boy at 4 am.

28. You know how to navigate the mountains. I’m not sure how, but you always know exactly where we are. You also know how to find all of the good waterfalls.

29. You’re patient with the kids when I am not.

30. You are a great cheerleader when I need one.

31. You stand up for others.

32. You have beautiful blue eyes and big smile. They’re both so amazing that I didn’t even notice when you shaved your head for the first time. 

33. Kate and Mason. Without you they wouldn’t be here! And I like to think they have all of our good qualities, and not so much of our bad.

34. If we’re ever on Naked and Afraid, I’m 100% sure we’d survive and live like kings. Here’s hoping your survival skills are never necessary.

35. I know how to kayak surf because of you.

36. You have great taste in dogs (Foster thinks so too).

37. You’re a witty guy.

38. You encourage me to try new things. I’m still low on the entropy scale, but I’ve come a long way, baby.

39. You are always challenging me to think differently. I hope you always do. I mean, I think we’re on the same page about Communism now, but maybe we agree to disagree about Taylor Swift.

40. We have fun. Life’s not always fun, but when it isn’t, it’s more tolerable for me because of you.

Thanks for being you. Love you.

J