Now Steve, this letter is going to embarrass you, but I only get to brag every so often…

It’s less than an hour before your birthday is officially over, and I’m sitting here on our couch, surrounded by snoring dogs, and a sleeping angel upstairs in our bed. She doesn’t think I heard her tip toe to our room shortly after she went to bed, but she misses you so much that I can’t bring myself to send her back to her bed. According to your iPhone (and that wonderful stalking app, Find My iPhone) we’re exactly 2,269 miles apart. This week has been tough, your father lost his brother, your family is hurting, and you, the strong, tender son and nephew, are there with them in this time of sorrow to provide comfort.

Times like these remind me of the other acts of love that you show on a daily basis that I sometimes take for granted how amazing you are. You’re patient, more patient than I even can fathom dealing with all the craziness that is our life. But others wouldn’t know how stressful your job is, how you spend much of what little free time you have, reading several books a week and writing papers for your Master’s degree. Oh yeah, and all the things that come with being married to that crazy wife you have, which is a job in itself. And yet you make the time to cuddle our daughter, find ways to make me laugh until my stomach hurts, call your parents just to say hi, play with the dogs, stop by my mom’s house so she can see Chloe when I’m working all weekend, mentor others and record hours of random mountain bike adventures with your friends with your GoPro.

The first thing I did when we met, sitting across from each other at a bar was give you a hard time. Something just told me that you were the kind of guy that would be fun to joke with, and to this day I give you a hard time. But my jokes about the horrible back gate you built, and the way you dance, among other things are me just trying to keep up with you. You are the funniest, most quick-witted man I have ever met, the kind who always has a funny response to everything, so much so it drives me mad! Or who will wear a bright red suit to a Christmas party, t-shirts with kittens wearing glasses on them, and the “World’s Greatest Farter” shirt Chloe got you, just because it’s ridiculous and you know it’ll make someone laugh.

Thank you for making us smile and laugh Every.Single.Day. Thank you for taking Chloe to school on Tuesdays and Thursdays, just because you know how much I hate mornings and how happy I am to wake up early two days less a week. Thank you for walking in the door with a bottle of wine in your hand when I need it most. Thank you for sharing your random talents like rapping every word of every Nicki Minaj song that comes on the radio just to make me giggle until I can barely breathe. Thank you for proofreading all my blog posts (except this one, so I’m sure you’re seeing lots of mistakes and run on sentences), and helping pick which pictures I should post on social media. Thank you for the hours and hours of work you do to pursue the bachelor’s degree you just got, and the master’s that you’ll get soon. Thank you for being you, and loving us.

You are a great leader, amazing father, and the absolute best husband. You inspire me, and so many others with your drive, sacrifice, encouragement and ethics and humor. I love you more today than the day before, and I’ll love you even more tomorrow. I capture love for a living because I am in love with such an amazing man, and I want everyone to experience the joy that is living life with the one person in the world who makes your soul, life, heart…complete.

Happy birthday baby!