My husband Peter often gets mentioned in the sidelines in my posts taking backseat to the latest child issue or crisis. But this remarkable man is worthy of the spotlight. So, please allow me to interrupt this blog for personal use so I can honor (and perhaps embarrass) the father of my children on his birthday.

This Senior photo was taken back when my  multi-faceted modern man was a multi-follicled macho man. He turns 44 today on 04/04. Oh for nice! - as they say in Fargo where this shot was taken many years ago.

(btw: that “fence” he’s leaning on, is really a piece of plywood being held by classmates on either side-classic!)

Ok honey, so I’m asking for forgiveness rather than permission for posting it. But whenever I am having a bad day, I pull out this picture to make me smile.

Let me make it up to you by telling the world, or at least the greater Twin Cities area how much I love and appreciate you. I honestly find it hard to talk about you because I feel like I’m being boastful, and you’re such a humble guy.

We’ve been together 10 years this year and I still have the “are you for real?” giddiness from our early years. Sometimes it’s hidden beneath layers of lack of sleep and sheer exhaustion, but it’s still there. 

Just scratching the surface of a few of your “are you for real?” qualities that I’d like to share:

You find opportunites every day to be kind to others and don’t walk through this world with blinders on. Whether it’s opening a door at the store for a harried mom or helping an elderly man with directions.

You enjoy unwinding by doing the dishes.

You’re just as adept at changing a diaper with precision as you are with changing a tire.

You consider 3 am comforting and rocking a crying baby/toddler to be “bonus moments”.

You have a sense of pride in our neighborhoods and always pick up garbage along the way whenever we go on walks.   

Your positive attitude and sense of humor are infectious. You lead others by example and those who work around you and know you appreciate it.

Your dedication to our kids. No matter how exhausted you are when you come home from work you jump right in and scoop the kids up and play with them.

Your love of the outdoor activities will definitely be passed on to our children. I know they will look forward to bike rides, walks in the park, and eventually hiking in the Canadian Rockies. This time as a family.

You still do a spontaneous “kitchen dance” with me and kiss me in front of the kids. This will probably embarrass them someday, but keep doing it!

We’re a team, always have been, but now we need to coach two little ones too. We are often blurs and profiles to eachother as we pass in the night with our opposite work schedules. There are sacrifices to be sure, but it’s a fleeting time and we’re making it work so we can spend more time with our kids.

So I have to thank you Fargo North High gals who passed that big haired football player on by. You really missed out on a gem of a guy. And lucky, lucky me for finding him 16 years later. 

So, happy birthday Peter! Each day I learn from your kindness and selflessness and it makes me a better person. What I did to deserve you, I don’t know, but I thank my lucky stars each day.

ps: Regarding the blog headline - We’re going on date night this weekend - mom’s here to babysit! We’ll go see your faves - Mick and the boys on the big screen! (kinda scary to see close ups of Keith Richards - but the things I’ll do for love…)

This entry was posted on Friday, April 4th, 2008 at 10:49 am and is filed under Family Life. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.