Happy Birthday to the Circus Dad

Sometimes I watch my husband as he fathers my kids and he just takes my breath away. 

I love the way he can explain to my son in terms he can understand how just about anything under the sun works.  I love the way he pulls the kids aside and talks to them about respecting their momma.  I love when he takes one of them with him to church when he has deacon duty so they can have  some special one on one time while he unlocks the church classrooms.  I love watching him out on the soccer field or the baseball field as he assists their coaches and helps guide the team.  I love the way he carefully and gently combs the knots out of my girls hair.  I love the way he makes up goofy love songs for the kids and I and belts them at the top of his lungs around the house.  I love the way he tells them their Bible stories with such excitement and enthusiasm that it seems the characters jump right out of the pages.  I love that he makes spending time with us a priority.  He does everything he can to be there for all of the practices, school events, games, special outings and special moments.  Sometimes it means going in to work early or staying late or working a Sat. 

I also loves the way he loves me. 

I love that after 9 yrs and 4 kids, he still looks at me like I am the most beautiful person he’s ever seen.   I love that he will call me in the middle of the day just to see how I’m doing.   I love the way he opens the car door for me on date nights.   I love that he knows me, really knows me… the good, the bad, the ugly, the pretty… and yet still he makes me feel adored and cherished.  I love the way he fully supports me and my passions and interests.  I love that he’s a dreamer.  I love making plans and dreams and goals with him for our future.    I love traveling with him and trying new things.  He accepts me for what I am, but pushes me to do things I never would do on my own.

But I love him for more than just the way he fathers my kids and the way he treats me as his wife.  I love him.  I love the way he analyzes things and thinks them through thoroughly before making a decision.  I love that he is open minded and he always thinks the best of people.  I love how he gives every one the benefit of the doubt and a second chance.  I love his heart of compassion, especially for the poor.  I love his desire to serve and to help.   I love his patience and his ability to break down big concepts into easy to understand steps.  I love the way he gets wrapped up in something be it the Steelers during football season, or the Volvo Ocean Race, or the Lost finale and he has to read and research and find out everything he can on that subject.

This week my husband turned 31.  And as the kids and I did our best to shower him with his favorite things, I couldn’t help but marvel at the man he is and how richly, richly blessed we are to love him and be loved by him.

Happy Birthday my love!