My darling, HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY! :)
I'm beyond thankful to your parents for bringing you into this world 33 years ago today.
I'm just as thankful our paths crossed over 10 years ago and that I now get to be by your side as you celebrate many birthdays to come.
Remember years ago when I was just so smitten with you that I hardly spoke a word out of fear you wouldn't love who I was in return? What a silly girl I was.
Remember when I filled a poster board with reasons I loved you?
Well you seemed to really enjoy that so I thought it would be nice to make another list for you consisting of 33 reasons I'm more in love with you than ever.
And really I am my dear. We keep saying that every year just gets better and better and it does. It's just so exciting to think of all the exciting adventures life still has in store for us.
Okay, back on track...
Here, my darling, is your list.
You should know that I used Microsoft Word to type this list and it kept count for me with every hit of the 'return' key. Well I got going and before I realized it I was already at 43! I promise I'm not trying to age you, just consider it 10 to grow on. ;)
So without further ado....
1. You’re freaking hilarious and REALLY fun to laugh with.
2. You are so passionate about the things you love…Hokie Football, Popular Science Magazine, gadgets, space! Heck, you even asked me if I liked the name Astrid and though I despise it almost as much as Gertrude I thought it was really adorable!
3. You are extremely thoughtful and would do anything for me, your friends and your family.
4. You are a very savvy shopper and I think that’s pretty incredible! I would have never known about retailmenot.com if it weren’t for you!
5. You are a fixer! Seriously it amazes me….you can always find a solution to almost any problem.
6. You will download cds for me, my mother and all our friends of the best new music and that’s pretty awesome!
7. You are my absolute best friend. Really there is no one on Earth I’d rather spend time with. My family may be sad to hear this and although I miss them like crazy all the time I couldn’t be happier that I get to spend eternity with YOU!
8. Because of you I’ve tried so many new foods some of which I now really love.
9. Speaking of food….you like, if not love, almost everything I prepare and I love you for it even if that is a selfish one.
10. You are such a big supporter of my little Emie Jane’s Baby Cakes business! You are always offering ways to make me more efficient and it means the world to me that you care.
11. When I actually take the time to get ready and look nice, which is seldom these days, you always tell me I look pretty and it makes me smile.
12. Even when I look like a slob you often tell me I look adorable.
13. You are a big kid at heart and that’s one of the reasons life with you is so very fun! Our kids will love you for it.
14. You do the laundry AND fold my “little people” clothes.
15. 3 years ago you caved and said we could get a dog, but not just any dog, YOU my darling, spotted our four legged son online. Life has been even better as a family of 3 even since.
16. You are the disciplinarian of said 4 legged son and for that I’m very grateful although I promise I’ll get better by the time we birth a 2 legged son or daughter.
17. I can ask you a question about anything and 90% of the time you have an answer and a very informative one at that. If you don’t you will more than likely Google it for me so basically because of you I’m a smarter girl.
18. In fact because of you I am an all around better person. I can’t imagine who I’d be today if I hadn’t met you over 10 years ago. You are the first, the only person I’ve met who makes me want to be the best Emie I can be.
19. You share my love of adventure and traveling and you’ve promised me we’ll see all the places on my lengthy list of must-see’s and I believe you!
20. You are really good to my family and they love you. That one means A LOT to me.
21. You let me pick my split ends almost any time (even the entire length of a 4 hour card ride) without saying a word and making me feel like the weirdo I am.
22. You leave me sweet little notes from time to time that make me feel so loved.
*Post-Edit: Just this morning, on YOUR birthday, I awoke to a sweet email written by you last night and it's just too sweet not to share. Hope that's okay my sweet.
It read: "Going to bed and realized it's already my birfday and realized that all I ever want for my birthday is lying right here next to me, indeed, "the most perfect thing I know."
Really? Could you be any sweeter? You melt my heart!
23. When asked, you actually have an opinion about what I wear or how I next cut/dye my hair and I really appreciate that.
24. When I’m in a bad mood hearing your voice is almost always the cure.
25. You are so often my voice of reason and I need that, I really do.
26. You are so very handsome and you really care about your health and working out even though I promise I’d still be madly in love with you if you weighed 300 lbs. *upwards of that and we might have a problem. ;)
27. Before I had Dude (my car) you drove me everywhere. Even to work and back for months before I gave in to public transportation.
28. You like to cook and you’re really good at it, especially your knife skills. You offer to help me anytime I’m in the kitchen even though I usually turn you down because I like to do it all myself.
29. You call me at work just to say hi and see how my day is going almost every single day. I love those calls, they usually come when I feel like I’m about to have a mental breakdown.
30. Because of you I love college football and actually know what’s going on most of the time
31. You are so organized and every year you put together our football pick ‘ems and fantasy leagues and you do one heck of a job my darling.
32. Here’s a big one…almost all of my best friends I’ve met one way or another because of you and for that I’ll be forever grateful.
33. You really appreciate your friendships and make an effort for us to visit with all your friends new and old. You are one of the only people I know with great friends from not only college and now but high school as well.
34. I love your manly hands and your soft feet.
35. You are a great cuddler even though I’ve taken up spooning with our four legged son.
36. If you come to bed later than me you give me little kisses.
37. You come to bed with me almost every night now because you know I don’t sleep well without you.
38. You’ve introduced me to some great musicians. I love John Mayer, Vertical Horizon, and David Gray (to name just a few) because of you. When I hear many songs by these artists I’m instantly taken back to Blacksburg, VA and driving around in Rex and I love that nostalgic feeling.
39. Speaking of Rex, you like to name things just like I do (our cars, Tucker’s toys) and you are so great at coming up with the perfect names.
40. I can be my weird, quirky self around you. It may have taken a year or two because I was such a shy little thing (thank you for sticking around btw) but I could not be more comfortable with anyone than I am with you.
41. I love your voice! Did you know that? It’s sexy!
42. I love the Pepe language you’ve created….you have your own way of saying/spelling words and I always know exactly what you’re saying.
43. When you are in the kitchen and my lazy bum is sitting on the couch you ALWAYS ask me if I need anything...often my requests include candy, a refill, a snack and you always happily oblige.
Well my love I could go on and on with such ease but we'll stop here.....until next year, okay? :)
My love and admiration for you is immense.
Looking forward to this evening and a little birthday date.
Sistah came over for a slumber party last night.
