Stephen's 26th Birthday Card

Stephen,

On this, your 26th birthday, I want everyone to know what kind of man I married and how thankful I am that God chose me to be your wife. Considering you told me that I could not spend money on a gift for you this year, I thought it would be special if I wrote you a blog post-card instead. Aria and I are just the luckiest girls in the world and on your birthday, while you work so hard and have to come home so late, I want you to know how important and special you are, and what an honor it is to be yours.

 

You kissed me for the first time on February 14th, 2008, on a beach in Mexico under the stars. Remembering that day still gives me butterflies. Now 8 1/2 years together, 3 years married, and a baby later, you still find a way to give me butterflies, even, and maybe especially, on nights when we just stay up talking and dreaming together. One of the things I love most about you is the way you listen to me and I feel like you actually hear my heart speaking. When we talk I feel like our souls are in conversation and that you really do know me in ways that no one else can or ever will. It doesn't matter where we live or what we have. I know that home will always be in each other's arms, and that is worth all the riches in the world to me.

I married an extrovert. I have watched you with everyone I love over these years and have come to realize how wonderful that is. Introverts and extroverts need each other. You have so many times pulled me out of places that are dark and lonely and filled them with joy and sunshine. Not a day goes by that you do not surprise me or make me laugh so hard I'm brought to tears. The delightful thing about extroverts is that there are so few of you, and in a cold sea of introverts we all swim towards your warmth and vitality. You make us dance. I'm so proud to be married to such a brilliant bright burning star. (alliteration)

You love fiercely and follow your dreams, which are also my dreams. You inspire me every day, not just because I'm your wife, but because together we are building a life that looks beautiful to both of us. You talk all the time about how everyone creates spaces that feel closest to heaven to them, because we reflect our creator in all that we do. Our life together is full of so many adventures and the journey has been so exciting. To love the same things in different ways has been what makes our marriage so strong and why we continue to grow in love for each other and strive towards a common goal. Together we are unstoppable.

I have spent so much of this post talking about myself, because I cannot see past you in my own identity. You make me so much better. There are so many ways that you do this, I would never stop typing if I tried to list them all. I hope that I have as much of a positive influence on you as you always have had on me. Just know, Stephen, that on your birthday, I am filled with so much gratitude and appreciation that you are in this world with me and that my baby girl has such an amazing man to call her Dad. You are my hero. Happy birthday, my forever guy. We love you so much. <3

Love,
Sarah