Happy Birthday To my Husband

 

Today is Tyler’s 28^th birthday.  To most people they’ll think there is nothing special about someone turning twenty-eight but for me today is more than just my husband’s birthday; today marks ten years of us celebrating together!!!  The very first holiday or special occasion that Tyler & I celebrated together was his 18^th birthday.  And I have been there for every birthday adventure since.  It makes me happy to sit and think about the decade of memories we have made and our lil family we have created.  For the last ten years we have spent every birthday, holiday and everything in between with each other. 

 

If in February of 2003 when I meet Tyler someone would have told me what our future held I probably would have laughed in their face!!! Seriously.  Tyler was a chubby, pimple face teenage on a path of destruction.  He had a take no prisoners jerkiness about him.  Few people know that he’s like an orger, I mean Tyler is like an onion- filled with multiple layers.  But in a very short time period I realized that was a mask to cover up the most sweetest and caring person man who I now call my best friend, my husband and my life partner. 

 

The past few years have been very trying on our family.  The financial hardship of Josie’s NICU bills combined with a work injury that had Tyler on L&I and light duty at work for a year created a large bump in the road. As I finished up my degree at UWT we were a functioning family but defiantly not a happy one. Outside issues have stirred up negative emotions about our not so picture perfect parts of our childhoods and highlighted our bad decisions from our past.  But through all the darkness we remained committed to our family and committed to each other.  And now that we have weathered the storm we have found ourselves enjoying the sunshine!  Life isn’t perfect and our bank account is almost always on “E” but life is good.

 

I think the part of Tyler that most people don’t see is the part that I love the most. He is passionate about nature.  He is overly interested in the subjects of heath, nutrient and supplements. He always stops for people at the crosswalk; he regularly offers assistance to the elderly and because of how he plays with them- ALL children LOVE him.  But the way he interacts with our own children is priceless. Tyler comes home from work and gives the kids attention every single day. He walks in the door and drops to the floor to play cars, read a book or immediately changes shoes to go play tag or kick the soccer ball.  Every night he brushes their teeth and then reads them one or two three or four books before lights out.  Then he cuddles them until they fall asleep.  When Issac was sick and again when Issac had an allergic reaction to amoxicillin, Tyler took him to the walk-in clinic.  He is an amazing, hands on and involved father.  Issac, Josie & myself are blessed to have a man that not only tries his best everyday but tries to improve himself each day as well.   

 

In 2013 Tyler & I have committed ourselves to our children and our marriage.  We are both in a fabulous spot.  Making changes to our family’s diet by lowering our gluten intake and eliminating food dyes and high fructose corn syrup.  We are working together to be more active, taking family hikes and walks along the Green River, kicking the soccer ball around with the kids and enjoying more outside activities.  We’ve also begun to read more.  Tyler is enjoying a series of books on finding himself and identifying his own self-worth while I have been breezing through some parenting and marriage books.  But the best part is Sunday morning coffee and nightly talks in bed about our days and about what we are reading.  Somewhere along the path we had stopped having these deep conversations. And in the hustle and bustle of life we had forgotten how much we simply enjoyed each other’s company. 

 

So today is a special day.  It is a Wednesday and we are responsible adults who don’t need to take a day off to celebrate ourselves so the day will be normal.  But for dinner I will meet Tyler’s request for my homemade gluten-free spinach macaroni and cheese with homemade fried chicken strips, Cesar salad and balsamic carrots followed by Chocolate Cake.  But today it is not only Tyler’s birthday but it is an anniversary of its own kind.  Today we celebrate an anniversary of a decade of memories.  We have come so far and swam through some deep shit mud; but I think the best is yet to come for us. 

 

Tyler- I thank you for accepting me and my defaults as I have yours.  I thank you for being a hard working provider and an amazing father. I thank you for loving us enough to change yourself and strive to reach your maximum personal potential.  I thank you for sharing your special occasions with me.  I’m overwhelmed with your continuous love and support as we create our own path in life.  I thank you for the last ten years of memories. And in advance- I thank you for the next ten years of memories we have yet to create.  I love you now more than ever.  XOXO