Happy Birthday, Josh!

Today you are 24, which means a few things:

1. You're still closer to 20 than 30.
2. You've now enjoyed the taste of micro-brews for 3 years.
3. I can now say we're the same age (and you can't tease that I'm your "old lady" - by 4 months).

Thanks for leading our family and pursuing the LORD wholeheartedly. I love that you care about what I want, but you ultimately want what the LORD desires for our family... even when it means your wife is going to throw a tantrum.

When I think back to the night I realized that I, you know, like-liked you... you've grown so much from that goofy boy with the insanely cute grin, quick humor and care-free attitude. Thankfully, you've kept the grin and the sense of humor, but you've become such a strong leader and anchor to keep me grounded, which I need more often than not. (See the tantrum reference above...)

There are so many things I love about you:
:: your humor
:: your nerdiness
:: the way you love me
:: your love for kids
:: that you let me cut your hair however I want
:: your love of food

I will continue to say it every chance possible: I am infinitely grateful that you continue to point me toward the One who is my constant, because even though we love each other more than anyone, we are broken and messed up people and we will hurt and fail each other. I pray we daily remember that it is only by God's grace that we can do this.

I'm thankful for a day to celebrate you, my beloved, and the last year that God has given you. You give me so much and I love to have at least one day a year where you can't argue your way out of my spoiling you.

Bob Dylan said it well when he wrote:

I'd go hungry

I'd go black and blue

I'd go crawling down the avenue

No there's nothing that I wouldn't do

To make you feel my love

Happy birthday, Joshua Dale. All my love.

"... where you go I will go, and where you [stay] I will [stay]. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried.  May the LORD do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you." -Ruth 1:16-17