today is the birthday of someone really special to me - my husband. he is an amazing guy, and if you don't know him you are really missing out.
in honor of his special day, i will tell you just some random facts about this great guy i get to spend my life with.
1. his real name is william. william robert - named after both his grandpas. the 5th william in a row. he actually was going by william when i met him, but a friend in common mentioned his name was bill to me before i met him, so it stuck in my mind. i still call him william time to time however.
2. he is extremely funny and has a contagious laugh. i always think it is funny when people think he is all serious because he is one of the goofiest people i know. (ask my sister - she brings it out in him!)
3. he never went to college officially (took a class here and there), but is the most studious person i know besides my dad. he would have thrived at a university! he is always studying and always learning something new.
4. he is the best cheese grater, though he would argue it isn't a skill. he also makes some mean coffee, but that is because he is a professional.
5. he has balanced out my emotional roller coaster of a personality with his steadiness. i haven't scared him away yet.
6. the first time we talked on the phone, he called my work by looking up on the internet an old flier of a traveling evangelist that spoke at our church and found the phone number at the bottom of the flier. this was before our church even had a website (yes, back in those olden days.) i was working as a secretary at the church. i just happened to be filling in for the receptionist's lunch break when he called and i was the one who answered the phone. the second time he called me he rung up a $400 cell phone bill. ouch.
7. if i would have let him, he would have married me a year before he did - which would have been only a few months after we met.. and before we ever lived in the same city.
8. we met in sao paulo, brazil. people always say it sounds so exotic. it was. ;) ok, so it wasn't.
9. he told me he liked me after we had only known each other a week. i told him he shouldn't have told me that. somehow that didn't deter him. some call it stubborn. others call it romantic.
10. he loves video games. especially sports video games. he curbs his video game playing to a couple times a month at my sister and brother-in-law's house because of his great love for me.
11. he cleans the bathroom for me because i hate to clean bathrooms. talk about real servant-hood.
12. when i was sad we didn't have a girl, he told me we could have as many kids as i wanted... if i wanted to keep trying forever, he was good with that. (um, yikes!) when we first talked kids when we were dating, he said he only wanted 3 and i wanted 4 or 5. now he says, as many as i want.
13. he never ever says, "i told you so," though he really could so often. so often. we are both oldest children... you would think he would at least be tempted.
15. he has blue eyes. when i first came home from brazil i thought he had green eyes like me. nope. blue. and three of our four boys have his blue eyes. deep, stunning, blue eyes.
16. he is the most proficient self-taught guitar player i know. seriously. if he wanted to, he could really do something with playing guitar, but instead he has given himself to a life of prayer and ministry. i heard a rumor that it was said in the musician circles in town that he could be the best jazz guitarist in town... if he practiced.
17. unlike a lot of men, he has an opinion on how we did the decor/design of our home. and he has good taste. he is an artist in many ways.
18. he was patient enough to marry a girl like me. the oldest of six boys, an only boy family, and he married such a girlie emotional girl!!! i tried to warn him... we had a conversation in my car when he came to visit me about how i have cried almost every single day of my life - and not just because i was sad. what a patient patient man.
19. he wrote me a song for our wedding. he wrote me another song for our 1st married valentine's day. i said i never wanted to marry a musician, but i rather like having songs written for me.
20. he likes anything i cook, bake, prepare, or at least he would never tell me otherwise. i have never once had him complain about my crazy obsession with "health food." he is along for any ride this former vegetarian takes him on.
21. he is only 5'6", but has such a great jump he could dunk in high school. he gets air. he is super athletic at any sport he plays.
22. if i had to ask anyone in the world advice, it would be him or my dad. or my mom. they are actually a lot alike. they are so full of wisdom and never tell me what i just want to hear, but what i need to hear: Godly wisdom. (wow, so i think i must have subconsciously been looking for someone who was like my parents. hmmm...)
23. he is ridiculously generous. he once gave a guy the shirt off his back (literally) just because the guy said he liked it. he challenges me in this area because i am quite a bit more selfish than he.
24. he is such a good dad. an amazing dad. he takes time with our kids. he gets up with them in the middle of the night so i can focus on the nursing baby (always has with whichever were the older ones). he loves to have a baby to cuddle in our bed. when i kick them out, he lets them climb back in on his side. he once even cleaned up a runny poop mess on my grandma's carpet from an accident one of our kids had when he was little and newly potty-trained, and didn't complain - all because that kind of stuff makes me vomit. he is a-ma-zing. that alone could win my love forever.
25. he is a missionary kid. he isn't your typical american - he actually doesn't even identify himself as an american. he thinks differently. his way of thinking challenge this california girl all the time. i like it.
26. he likes to smirk. it is his trademark smile. unless i threaten to tickle him. he is extremely ticklish. i, however, am not. i know, it isn't fair.
26. he loves me. he really really loves me more than i can even handle sometimes. (wink, wink.) i remember watching regarding henry before i ever met him and thought, "how sad!" that henry wasn't publicly affectionate with his wife before his accident. i will never have that thought about my husband. he is the most affectionate person with kisses and "i love you's" i have ever met. we have almost been married 10 years and he is just the same as when we were newly dating. my boys come by their extreme affection rather naturally.
27. he speaks spanish as well as he speaks english. there are some words he only knows in spanish and i used to crack up about this when we first met. no one ever expects that from an irish red-skinned, blue eyed, freckled guy.
28. did i say he makes me laugh? what a goof!
happy birthday to the most amazing guy ever. i am so blessed to be your wife and the witness to your life.
cutest kid picture ever. period.
charis
