Happy 31st Birthday, baby!!!! Did you ever imagine your life as a 31 year old when you were a kid? Could you have ever imagined being loved so much? I doubt it. ;)
As I sit here and think about you on this special day, I am once again reminded of how very blessed I am. I don't say that lightly. I know it deeply. Ten years ago we were just getting to know each other. I had an inkling that you were my forever love, but I had no idea how beautiful and stretching and glorious and downright hard the next ten years would be. I say that knowing I wouldn't change it for the world. I'm honored to be your wife. Honored to be the one you love and devote your heart to. Humbled to be loved so completely by you when I know that I'm not easy to love.
Have I told you lately how proud I am of you? You are 31 today and yet you are so much more mature and wise than those numbers. You've always been quietly sure of yourself. You've never needed to live a crazy or meaningless life. You know who you are in the Lord and you honor him with your life. Every single day. You are successful at whatever you put your mind to. I've watched your career grow and your work ethic shine over these ten years together and I stand beside you so proud that you are mine. You've earned your position, darling. God has blessed the work of your hands and he continues to guide you. I'm so proud of you for following and heeding him.
You are the brick and mortar to our home. You hold us together and keep us moving forward. You make wise choices and I trust our future under your careful watch. Thank you for that....I'd be in debt and homeless without you I'm sure.
One of the things I love best about you (there are so many!) is the way you interact with our babies. You make time for them even when you are flat out exhausted. You change diapers. You get up in the middle of the night. You rock, cuddle, sing, pray, and tickle our kids until they know without a doubt how very much they are loved. Every night before your head hits the pillow you go in and check on both of them. You make sure the covers are on and the room isn't too hot or cold. Do you know how beautiful that is?
I know they can't tell you exactly how much they love you, but I'm pretty sure you have a good idea that you are adored by Lauren and Easton. Your little princess thinks you hung the moon and races to the truck when you pull up every day. And the little mini-Shawn that runs around this house like a maniac? He's obsessed with you. They are so blessed to have you as their father. They don't know it right now but Lauren will look for a man like you and Easton will long to be a man like you. As a mother, I couldn't ask for anything better than that.
On your birthday, my love, I hope that you realize how much you mean to us (and to SO many others) and how much you are loved.
I'm in love with you Shawn Barry.
Yours forever,
Jen
