Happy Birthday, Eric!

Today is your birthday, studly man! I have a few plans for today, but no matter what I do, you will out-do me on my birthday. You always do. You even tell me to not even try to top what you do for me on my birthday because it just can't be done. It's true. I can't give back to you as much as I feel you have given to me. I don't really know what redeeming qualities you saw in me when we got married. (I guess I was a smokin' hot babe back then...) I just feel like I don't deserve you most of the time.

This past summer, I had a list of things for you to do in the yard: fix and stain the deck, get rid of the "sandbox", fix the roof, on and on... Well, these things didn't get done and I am not upset one bit. Every spare day you had, you were helping other people in the neighborhood with their roofs and their fences. That's just the kind of man you are. You are very selfless with your time and you have a hard time saying, "no". Especially to me. I told you the other day that I don't think other husbands give in to their wife's every craving and go to the store at midnight. And you don't ask for anything in return. Well, most of the time you don't.

You are the best dad to our kids. I need a picture of their faces when they see you pull into the driveway. It's like Santa is here to bring presents! They want to be the first to give you a hug and that's why they race outside to see you. They also want to be the first in line to "fight" with you with the light sabers. It might bother other dads that want a minute's rest after a long day, but not you. Not that you don't want a minute's rest, (I know you do) but you want to make them feel special and loved. And you probably can't turn down those eager faces. You have a hard time telling them no, too.

Thank you so much for being by my side for the past 6 1/2 years. Thanks for holding my hand in the car when we're driving, thanks for telling me I look beautiful in a pony tail, thanks for making me feel like a wonderful mom, thanks for eating my burnt dinners with a smile, thanks for noticing that the house is vacuumed and the laundry is done, thanks for giving me our beautiful babies, thanks for loving me when I am unlovable, thanks for being the only person I ever want to be with, thanks for kissing me every night, thanks for marrying me, thank you. I love you more than ever. Happy Birthday! I hope you'll feel as special as you always make me feel.