Today was George’s birthday. He’s a big ol’ 44 years old now. Doesn’t look it, does he?

While he was at work today, I helped Hayley make a card because she loves that. She drew a picture of our family and I used photo corners to stick it to the front. Then she wrote Dad on top and Happy Birthday on the bottom. I put red tempera paint on her hands and got her to put her handprints on the inside, then I used blue to do the same with Breanna. I wrote High Fives! across the top, and then Hayley signed both their names.

She had a great time. I think Breanna was traumatized, because although she didn’t cry, she sast and stared in horror at her blue hands until I washed them off.

I was inspired by Chantal who just posted recently about her own husband’s birthday and listed 20 reasons that she loves him. Thus, on this festive day, 20 totally random and possibly goofy reasons that I love George.

1. He tolerates my age jokes (my favorite still being the time I told him that when he say Star Wars in theaters at age 15, I didn’t see it because I was only three years old).
2. He has a sense of humor that sends me into hilarity.
3. Despite the fact that I consistently leave at least 3 cups in the bedroom, he hasn’t made me move out yet.
4. He rubbed my back for two straight hours while I was in transitional labor with Hayley.
5. When I told him I felt like I might need to push while in labor with Breanna, he didn’t say a word but just sped up a little more since we were in the car and still about 15 minutes from the hospital.
6. He brought “The Family Guy” to my life and between Stewie and next door neighbor Joe, I now have an endless supply of stupid-yet-hilarious one-liners in my repertoire.
7. Despite the fact that we’ve been together for over seven and a half years now, he still thanks me for supper every single night.
8. In fact, he thanks me whether I made some delicious meal like Moussaka that takes a lot of time in the kitchen or whether I made hot dogs and french fries.
9. One time I was really half asleep but thought I’d make him pancakes for breakfast anyway. In my delirium I accidentally used baking soda instead of baking powder which resulted in beautiful pancakes that tasted like burnt ass. And he ate every single one on his plate without a word because he didn’t want to hurt my feelings.
10. He recorded four songs that I co-wrote back when he did his album.
11. He also wrote something awesome about me in the liner notes.
12. He regularly brings home chips or a chocolate bar for me just because he knows I like them.
13. He boosts my self-confidence when I really need it.
14. He constantly says that I draw so well when he sees things I’ve doodled while drawing with Hayley. I really can’t draw that well, trust me, but he makes me sound like Van Gogh (without the missing ear).
15. He isn’t afraid to be silly with the kids.
16. After this much time together we still haven’t run out of things to talk about.
17. He listens to me talk about stuff on TV that he doesn’t watch and doesn’t care about. For instance, he says he hates my soap opera but he knows who everyone is and occasionally asks me what so and so is doing (of course he regrets asking when I immediately launch into a ten-minute detailed explanation).
18. He only mocks me minimally when he catches me crying at television shows or movies.
19. He shares my raunchy sense of humor so he laughs at my lame and often inappropriate jokes.
20. Dude, he’s hot.

Hayley with her cake, truly in her element.

Hayley took this picture of me with Breanna.

Breanna clapping for George’s birthday.

And Breanna decided that her dad’s birthday was the perfect time to give me a heart attack by learning to climb the stairs.