Happy Birthday to My Husband

I have been to the grocery store and the party store already this morning. Today is my husband's 48th birthday. It has become a blog tradition of mine to post a little tribute to the birthday person. So here goes...
Almost 22 years of marriage makes you a fairly good expert on the behaviors of your spouse. We have had our usual marital ups and downs thru the years but who hasn't?
The point is, is that I did not kill him. Thus enabling him to celebrate yet another birthday.
He is not cool in the sense that he is hip or trendy. He is cool to me in that he gets me. Finally. I rely on him more than I ever care to admit and admire him more than he will ever know. He has so many skills and is so smart. He is a great husband in so many ways that I could not even go there without becoming a blubbering mess...
He is the BEST dad. That has made me love him even more. Of course his daughters roll their eyes at him many times a day but deep down they adore that man. He has let them pick on him mercilessly and they have him completley wrapped around their fingers. He would move heaven and earth for them. He is fair to them, listens to them and is genuine in his interest of their lives.
He has been a great son, even when he didn't need to be, he has been a great brother even when it was difficult. He is a true blue friend. Loyal. He is a patriot. He loves his country and would die for it. He is a military history buff like I have never seen. His knowledge impresses me and annoys me. He is not like many men in that he LOVES to talk to me. Talk about our feelings, talk about our plans, talk about politics, talk about strategic forces with allied countries during WWII. I have been told by MANY women that I am lucky. They wish their husbands were good communicators. I will let him live with them for a while and get back to me on the results... I personally think he is in love with the sound of his own voice... he should have been a pastor or politician... give the guy a podium and look out.
If that is the worst complaint I can come up with, then I am pretty damn lucky. I hope that I have many more years to listen to the chatter and many more seasons of learning more about Hitler than any one person ought to know. Seriously, I am eager to continue to live and learn from this man. I will watch him as he gives his daughters away in marriage, he will cry like a baby when his girls leave home, he will tell them how proud he is of them and not take any of the credit for helping to shape them into the great people they will be. He will not take credit for standing by someone who treats him less than kind because he felt it was the right thing to do. He will not accept praise for loving his country, he expects that is everyone's duty. He wont let me brag about his many talents, he doesn't see himself that way. He is humble that way. He will let me tell him that I love him, I tell him everyday and he reminds me every day that I am his "favorite". I am glad to know that, because he is my "favorite" too.
Happy Birthday my love, you may be 48 and old in your eyes but you are still that 25 year old I fell in love with, blonde hair, beautiful blue eyes... Your girls will tease you about being old but they don't really mean it... ummm... well... yeah they do kind of mean it. But they will always love you no matter what and I am sure they will take turns pushing your wheelchair around some day. They will gladly hire someone to change your diaper if you need it. You wonder, where am I in all of those future scenarios??? Oh, I will be in my condo in La Jolla...
But will only be a phone call away.
Tonight we will have a little b-day celebration. Cake, candles, ice cream and your favorite dinner, my homemade tacos. We will sing to you and look at you with love in our eyes and in our hearts.