Happy Birthday Greg!

To the love of my life, on his 30-something birthday.

Today you begin what has, so far, been my favorite decade of life. And as one of many gifts, I want to offer 30 reasons why I love you.

1. You are like a fine liqueur (whiskey, bourbon, tequila…), you just get better and better with age. Your subtle complexities have begun to shine more and more brightly as you’ve come into your own as the quietly powerful man I love.
2. Your heart for serving others continues to astound me. No matter where we are, whether it be a friend’s house for dinner, an event, a photo session, or on vacation, you are always the first one to jump up and help cook, clean, open a door, or just make sure everything is okay.
3. You can cook like nobody else! I can’t even begin to recall the number of times we’ve been out at a restaurant and I being to long for your home cooking. And we usually go for pretty great restaurants, so that should tell you something! 😉
4. You are young at heart and always willing to play!
5. You take things I love to the next level. Take coffee, for example. When we first met, you were pretty neutral about coffee. Now, you make pour over coffee every morning, after making sure the water is the proper temperature and ensuring the coffee cups are pre-heated to provide maximum flavor and enjoyment. (Okay, with this particular example, you kicked it up several notches…and still going!)
6. You watch romantic comedies with me every year for our anniversary – dating (Princess Bride) and wedding (You’ve Got Mail). And you actually enjoy it!
7.  You let me close my eyes and crawl in your lap during the scary parts of movies and shows, and gently let me know when it’s over.
8. You research things before I even ask – health questions, new camera gear, news articles. And you research like nobody else I’ve ever met.
9. I trust you wholeheartedly, with everything.
10. You trust me wholeheartedly. Enough even to let me cut your hair!
11. You listen wholeheartedly with the intent to genuinely understand. You make me feel heard, everyday.
12. You have the most handsome hands, as I immediately noted on our first date. 🙂
13. You celebrate the holidays with gusto! All of them. Especially Thanksgiving and Christmas.
14. You give the most thoughtful gifts for every occasion.
15. You encourage me to be more fully myself every day, and support me in the process. You not only love my quirks, you gently remind me to share them with the rest of the world regularly.
16. You can’t look at a dog without being overwhelmed by their cuteness, which reminds me of how undeniably cute YOU are!
17. You long to go on adventures far and near!
18. You are one ridiculously talented artist and you aren’t afraid to use your creativity.
19. You know how to turn me into a “useless pile of goo” almost instantaneously just by playing with my hair.
20. You let me fall asleep in your lap on the couch after a long day at work.
21. You make me feel safe.
22. You not only finish my sentences, but often say what I was about to say before I even had the chance to say it. And then I give you that wide eyed look which is equal parts amazement, laughter, and frustration. You know what I’m talking about. 🙂
23. You are so incredible to converse with in person, over email, via chat, and on the phone. But in person is still my favorite.
24. You are a dreamer. And you’re a dreamer in a different way than me. I dream a lot, often in short bursts. You dream the long dream. Often your dreams are simmering under the surface until they are ready to be presented to the world. You are my favorite person on earth to dream with!
25. You put so much intention behind everything you do. Every date you plan, every meal you cook, every sentence you write. Your intentionality inspires me constantly.
26. You are willing to go on #allthejourneys with me. The journey of taking a more minimalist approach to the stuff in our home. The journey of moving our photography business in a different direction. The journey of living in a van for 2 weeks in California. And the constant journey of living life together.
27. You aren’t afraid to try things and fail, and by doing so, have allowed me to more lovingly embrace the teachings of failure as well.
28. You never stop learning with me. We always have the best discussions about TED Talks, podcasts, CreativeLive classes…you name it!
29. You are the most intelligent person I have ever known.
30. And you are one seriously handsome man! (Photo proof shown at top of blog post).

Thank you for loving me all these years, and thank you for teaching me to love more deeply in return. I cannot wait for the next 60+ years with you!

Happy Birthday Greg!