let's hear it for the birthday boy!

On my list of favorite people, there's this one boy who has been at the top longer than most of the people whose names are also listed. I'd say they were the lucky ones, but we all know that spot belongs to me. This boy was born on this day in 1988, exactly four months and nine days before me. I met him in the seventh grade, he asked me to be his girlfriend in ninth grade, we got engaged last September, and became husband and wife four months and three days ago. To a lot of people, he's just another guy in the world. In fact, there are billions of people who don't even know he even exists. But, to me, he's so much more than that. And, today, he gets to be just as special to everyone else as he is to me every day.

I could go on for days and days about how much he means to me and how much I love him and how much pride I have because of him, but most of you have heard the stories over and over again. He's the most unique person I've ever met, his heart is the biggest heart in the whole world, he still makes me weak in the knees with just one look even after all these years, he turns every occasion into a special one, and the best part of him being alive is that I get to live in the world with him.

My prayer for his twenty-third year is that he keeps growing, keeps seeking, keeps putting his whole heart into everything he does, keeps running after the Lord with all he's got, keeps believing in miracles, and keeps shining his light for everyone to see. There are so many things I hope he gets to do and see and experience this year, and I can't wait to be his biggest fan through it all. More than anything, though, I pray that all of his dreams come true. Today and every day.

if his love for me as a braceface doesn't reveal his heart of gold, I'm not sure what else will.

happy birthday, Teesh!

I hope you know how much better the world is just because you're in it.

Especially my world. :)