Happy Birthday Honey!

(with eight children, it's next to impossible to find a picture of him alone!)

Today (ok, ok, in two more hours) is the birthday of my best friend and chosen companion on this wild, crazy, and wonderful journey. And so although I am not much of a writer and words cannot express the love I have for this man, on this day, his day, I want to share my favorite things about Stan (in no particular order)...

* He makes me laugh, hands down his best quality

* He is an amazing father!

*He loves to talk to the kids, about anything and everything, and really listens

*He will throw the girls "up in the sky" until his back hurts

* He will videotape every cute thing they do, not because he has to, but because he loves to see it over and over again as much as they do

* He is an even more amazing husband. He will do anything to make me smile, I really believe that.

* He has a way of smiling that can melt your heart...you just can't stay mad at him, even when you reeeeally want to!

*He can build or fix anything! I mean it! if it's been done, he'll learn how to do it himself.

*He built our deck

*and our treehouse

*and our swingset

* and bookshelves

*He is currently wiring and finishing our addition (where there's a will, there's a way)

*He cuts all of the children's hair (and sometimes mine..sshhh)

* Did I mention he cuts his OWN hair, SEE... amazing talent!

*Speaking of talent...he is a wonderful artist! He probably wishes he could spend more time on this passion, but I believe when he looks back someday he will see the tapestry of a beautiful family and life that he has helped create.

* He sketched my parents house for a Christmas present one year...beautiful!

*He does all the car repairs, oil, brakes, you name it.

*He loves V8 juice, with horseradish, and hotsauce (but hates tomatoes, go figure?)

*He makes his food a piece of art...I am usually done eating before he is done "decorating" his sandwich

*He has beautiful teeth, with no braces, and truthfully not much work on his part (sorry honey)

*He loves his family, He is our fiercest protector, and provider and slays those daily dragons for us without complaint

*He puts everything in perspective...and has a wonderful way of looking at things...here's one example that will forever stick in my memory....One day, while I was desperately trying to salvage yet another plant that I had again killed, I remarked, "well, it looks like I have a black thumb", His response was, "No honey, you just have pink and blue thumbs, you are growing things more precious than plants".

* He has some big shoes for his sons to follow in, and our oldest son expressed this very concern to me one day...
"Mom, I don't think I can be a Dad",
"Why son?"
"Well, because you have to know how to do EVERYTHING!"

You are so amazing Stan , and I am so blessed to be able to share this life with you. Happy Birthday Honey! May God bless you this coming year and always. I love you!