My awesome hubby had his first 39th birthday today. During the schoolyear, we always take the kids' birthdays off and make it a vacation day. Obviously in the summertime, we are off already. But hub's birthday lands in the summer and he works regardless. Not this year!! He took a half-day vacation so we could celebrate! We had a lovely lunch out to eat at a local restaurant, got to enjoy the scorching heat while hanging out down by the river, and then we got to celebrate by going GREEN...
Then we came home and had a chocolate cake with chocolate frosting from the best bakery in town. And, if you are from this area you KNOW where I mean. This was the first time we put the exact number of candles on for one of us parents. So lucky Neil got to huff and puff blowing out all 39! It was so much fun for all of us - the lighting ceremony and all! Hopefully Neil and kids will forget and not remember in April when it's my birthday. ;)
And, when you take 12 pictures of a group shot down by the river really hoping for a nice picture of your handsome husband and beautiful children and only one turns out somewhat presentable, you have to laugh at the outtakes. Enjoy....
Neil pinching Mario's bum
Mario pinching Neil back
++Thank you, God for my husband and best friend!! He loves us all so much and gives himself fully to us. Please bless him abundantly this coming year, and help him feel your presence through all of us.++
You are now officially older than me, dear! And, we love you so much, being an ole man and all! :)
In honor of your 37th birthday and carrying on the tradition of listing the blessings per year of life, we each took a turn sharing why we love you so much!!
from Rose...
#1 - how you hold me close and snuggle me
#2 - how you wrestle me and use me as your barbell...
from Pookey...
#3 - you let me have granola bars
#4 - you give me candy
#5 - you tuck me in bed
#6 - we both have brown eyes
#7 - when we wrestle together
from Max...
#8 - you take us fishing
#9 - you love us
#10 - and I love you
#11 - you let us play outside
#12 - you let us go on vacations
from Ariel...
#13 - you took me on a First Holy Communion trip
#14 - you wrestles with us
#15 - you love me
#16 - you are my dad
#17 - you care for us
from Melody...
#18 - you cook good food, like spaghetti
#19 - you are lots of fun
#20 - you go on the slip-n-slide with us
#21 - you let us do privilege
#22 - you gave us a trampoline
#24 - making us pancakes
#25 - you let us do cool things
#26 - you allowed us to have our own room in the basement
#27 - being my dad
from Fone...
#28 - how you take Matt and I out to movies
#29 - takes us to sport games
#30 - you are funny
#31 - letting us go to cool camps
#32 - you make a mean bowl of spaghetti
My turn...
#33 - your touch and warmth
#34 - your giggle - you never hold back and I love how you just let it all out. I loved going to see comedies with you when we were dating, not to watch the movie, but to hear you laugh
#35 - you are an amazing helper and great teammate of mine - like I have always said, "you can do anything I can except grow, give birth to, and nurse our babies"
#36 - how you give yourself completely to the kids and I every day - willingly and lovingly
#37 - how we get to walk this journey of faith together daily, and most especially the blessings and CrAzInEsS of having a large family with another little blessing on the way. Thank you for being such a great man of faith, who knows how to put God first and for leading us all to our heavenly home!!
And, I know we already hit #37, but our littlest one wanted to chime in and thank you for being his Daddy and that he can't wait to meet you, be held by you and smooched by you in October...
Happy birthday to my wonderful, handsome husband!
I love you forever and always!!
May God continue to bless you and draw you even closer to Him this upcoming year!!
