And I Thought I Loved You Then ~ Happy Birthday Corbin!

Corbin ~ on this happy birthday ~ I'm taking an opportunity to pause and remember how smart I was to marry you. Now that I've spent half of my life as your wife, there are a few things I didn't realize I was getting in a husband when I said "I do."

Storyteller

Adventurer

Wrestler

...and then when they got big, you humored them as they showed off their muscles

Rescuer. Ready to help those in need... here, a drenched and terrified Ruby

Comforter

Date planner (extraordinaire)

Tutor. Available. I'm sure you had just walked in from work

Listener. I just love the expressions on both of your sweet faces

Hair trimmer

...many, many

...many times

All-in. Helping me decorate, helping kids decorate, you just make things more fun

Delighted father. Win or lose, you're always proud of our kiddos

Oak tree. As in, no matter how many times Branson asked for a phone in 5th grade, you remained strong, unwavering. This pic ~ taken at the 5th grade lunch when his friends began unwrapping their new iphones as "graduation" gifts... little did he (or we) know he'd have to wait until EIGHTH grade (this may be the only time you could be caught smiling in all those conversations)

Security provider

Catapulter

Babysitter. Sunday after church at Chipoltle, and we couldn't all fit at one table. You seated yourself at the kids' table, while the rest of us ate our adult lunches across the restaurant

Teacher. In this case, how to fold cloth napkins for the Thanksgiving meal

Helper. Late night, post-football game for our big 8th grader, and he had a LOAD of homework. You stayed and worked alongside Bran as I dragged myself upstairs to fall in bed 

Trainer. And playmate. Hudda in that batting helmet...

Devotional attempter... 

Instructor. Chances are you started to leave for a run when this little one wanted to "join you on her bike"

Load-bearer

Available. How many times did you meet us at a park during lunch to get some play time in with the kiddos?

Accessible. Your Sunday ritual ~ that was really never a ritual ~ sitting down to read the paper. And Essie totally plopped down in the MIDDLE OF IT to get your attention. Good thing she's cute

Provider.

Out-of-the-box thinker. This ~ because it's just too much. Kudos to BOTH of us for letting her leave for church like this

Caretaker. Even in the SNOW. I probably took this pic from the porch snuggled in a blanket holding a hot cup of coffee.

Smoocher. Fits and fits of giggles.

The constant I see in all of these (mostly candid) pictures is selflessness. Thank you for living with me in an understanding way, living with all of us in such a way that you are giving, giving, giving. We are happy recipients of your generous heart.
Thinking back to that summer twenty years ago, to borrow Brad Paisley's lyrics... We've come so far since that day... and I thought I loved you then. 
Happy, happy 46th birthday, Corbin!