15 things I forget to thank him for...

"I'm sticking to my guy like a stamp to a letter. Like birds of a feather, we stick together."

-- Mary Wells

HAPPITY BIRTHDAYITY TO YOUUUUUU!!!

Now, I'm hoping that John-David actually knows all of the following things already, ha! But just in case, here are 15 things I want to say "THANKS" for...that I might just forget to say sometimes.

{one} For being patient with me...

Especially when I'm going through a depressive phase and I'm in a pit...when I don't want to talk, or to be touched. Your willingness to hang in there and wait for me to come out of it is very helpful to me. If I knew I was doing nothing but disappointing you by staying "hidden" for awhile, it would make things ten times harder. Thank you for making it slightly easier.

{two} For taking creative pictures of me...

And for making me look really good in them! Like this one you took awhile back! :))

{three} For taking me places...

You know exactly what I like to do, and you always pick the best locations for us to make excellent memories together! We always have so much fun...and I need that in my life!

{four} For doing all the "manly" things...

For lack of a better word {LOL}...Seriously though! I can't kill spiders. I can't install anything technologically related. I know zilch about cars. I can't carry heavy things. There are probably plenty of others...but I'm glad you are willing to step up and do all of this stuff for me!

{five} For spending time with all of the children in my life...

  You join me on a lot of my babysitting adventures, and it is so neat for me to see you with some of the kids that are super important to me, and that I've loved for a long time. It makes me so happy to watch them click perfectly with you. They are so used to me, and I like that they take to you so fast...that they LIKE you! It truly reassures me that you are going to be a really good father to our own children someday.

{six} For listening to me ramble on and on...

When I'm talking about "this thing" that happened at preschool...or "that dance class" that was super hard to teach today for whatever reason...or "this person" said "something" and I thought they were ridiculous, and here's why...I know this stuff probably isn't super significant to you. But I'm saying it, so you listen. And that's a big deal because you know I love to talk ;))

{seven} For making me laugh...

Especially with your Syd the Sloth impression...AHHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

{eight} For letting me be myself...

For not questioning if I'm too overdressed for wherever we are going. For not telling me to "turn it down a few notches" when I'm in one of my too-happy, slightly manic moods. For not being embarrassed when I don't realize I'm "practicing ballet technique" in public places {i.e. using a shopping cart as a barre, doing an arabesque when trying to reach something high, doing turns in any kind of open space because open space equals dance floor}. 

{nine} For putting up with my constant indecisiveness...

Let's face it...I can't make a decision to save my life. I never know what I want. It takes me forever to just pick something. I appreciate that you don't get annoyed by that.

{ten} For letting me watch the things I want to watch...

I know you probably don't always want to watch things like "Downton Abbey" or "Pride and Prejudice" or "Anne of Green Gables". But when I'm being incredibly stubborn, and dead set against watching pretty much anything else {cue the indecisiveness again!} thanks for watching what I want. However, I do love that we have developed a mutual love for shows like "Friends" and "How I met Your Mother". 

{eleven} For loving me when I don't love myself...

There are many occasions that I don't feel pretty, or thin, or worthy of love. But thank you for always insisting that I am. Even though I probably won't believe you in the moment, it's always nice to hear. 

{twelve} For doing really awesome things with your talents...

I love that you've recorded so many of my students' recitals! I am so fortunate to have those videos to always look back on, and to watch how much the kids grow as dancers over time. And the parents have been thrilled to have them as well! 

{thirteen} For dealing with my tardiness...

I'm never ready when I say I'm going to be. {Isn't that how it is for girls in general though?} I have such a hard time getting out of bed on time. And I'm a little too laid back for my own good sometimes. I know you're not the biggest fan of being late to things...so thanks for not getting irritated with me.

{fourteen} For coming to my concerts/performances...

I'm fully aware that an extremely lengthy Baroque music piece sung in Latin is probably not something you would listen to to on your own. But while I'm standing up there in the choir, it's nice to look out and see you sitting in the audience.

Oh...and to add on to that...thanks for coming to see my students perform too! 

{fifteen} For being THE SWEETEST!

You constantly put me first. You open doors for me, so gentlemen-like. You laugh at all my silliness. You send me encouraging text messages. You treat me like a princess.

I know I don't say it often enough...

THANK YOU!!!

i love you to the moon and back!