Happy Birthday, Jeremy!

You are my favorite friend, husband, father, provider, and Priesthood holder I have ever known. Every day you amaze me more and more. It is such a thrill that we get to experience this life together. Having you away today is so hard. I wish you were here to cuddle! There is a big stack of presents waiting for you, but I’m sure the best ones will be little tiny hugs from some baby babes that miss their daddy.

I can’t wait to see your list of 30 things to do before your 40. I went ahead and came up with 10 ideas to inspire you. I hope other people reading this list will contribute as well.

10 of the 30 things you should do before you’re 40:

1. Take a course at the Cordon Bleu school

2. Learn Farsi so we can get a cool Middle East post or French so we can get a cool Africa post.

3. Get over your fear of LASIK surgery and just do it.

4. Attend the Westminster Dog Show.

5. Build a woodworking shop in our backyard.

6. Read all the half-read books on your bookshelf (this might seriously take 10 years).

7. Design a real wedding band.

8. Buy a piano and learn to play it.

9. Use that gigantic brain to make us some fast cash (think Jeopardy or Who Wants to be a Millionaire).

10. Go dog sledding.

As a part of your present I wanted to take some Mormon-inspired photos of the kids. You know which ones – everyone wears the same colors, flat irons their hair, and searches for months to get the ‘perfect’ locations. Ha. Abby was not having it. Instead I got some fun shots of Oliver. Since only a mother can truly know what is on his mind, I was kind enough to put some captions for you.

This is the only photo I have of Abby. She had already, literally, pulled her hair out in protest.

Oliver was content to sleep but I had other plans.

If he could talk he would say.... "Did you really just put me on the dirty ground."

"I have on those silly bear ears, don't I?"

"Where is my sister, and why is no one holding my head up?"

"This is just getting ridiculous. Who is going to believe I climbed this tree?"

"Falling backwards.... someone grab me... leaves not strong enough to hold my chub upright..."

After a day like this, there better be chocolate in that breast milk!"

We’ve traveled the world together, and my favorite place in the whole wide world is next to you.

Now come home so I can kiss you!