Spencer Turns 31

Today is Spen's Birthday and he will be 31 after celebrating the 1st anniversary of his 29th birthday. Turns out, after this wonderful year of 31 (because it's his lucky number) we will be back to the 29's of his life. So, since this year is such a special one, I thoguht I would follow the example of one of my friends (A.S.) and make a list.

31 Reasons I Love Spencer

1. First of all, he’s cute. I love his ocean eyes, wavy hair, and rosy cheeks.

2. He can cook. Thank heaven the boy can cook, or we’d starve.

3. I love his smile. The real one and not the toothless one he gives in photos. I especially love the smile that happens just after he spontaneously laughs. It’s content and happy and never fails to make me smile back.

4. He can build anything I design.

5. I love that he loves to provide for his family and how he gets frustrated when he can’t.

6. He’s going to make a great dad someday.

7. Spencer will never make a promise he can’t keep. His word is binding. If he says he'll do something you can count on it getting done. Unless it's dishes, but I cant blame him there.

8. I know its silly, but I love how neither one of us likes to do laundry or dishes. We're never critical of each other when it comes to those two chores.

9. He loves dogs—um, and cats. I love that he loves dogs, and am alright with the fact that he loves cats too.

10. He has had the same friends since before the first grade and they’re still tight.

11. Spencer is the hardest worker I know. If he’s able, he would help you move mountains if you asked. And he’d make it fun.

12. You can tell this boy paid attention to his parents and learned from them.

13. He loves his sisters—every one.

14. He was raised by those sisters, so he holds open doors, walks closest to the street, and lets me watch shows I like to watch.

15. I love how he rambles before going to sleep. It’s comforting as I doze off to the low hum of his voice.

16. Spencer loves to sing to music in the car. Loudly!

17. He looks good in a baseball hat.

18. He looks even better in his Sunday clothes.

19. If he has a recipe he follows it to the letter—scraping the flower off with a knife and everything.

20. He says “I love you” every chance he gets; texting it, yawning it, and whispering it.

21. Sometimes he just wants to go for a long drive and see where we end up.

22. He tolerates shopping with me.

23. With my family he is sweet and genuine. I love that he loves them so much.

24. I especially love how he and my brother are like real blood brothers.

25. He always puts others before himself. In fact, he sold his GTO, his most beloved posession of a car so he could get out of debt when we married.

26. I love when he holds my hand in the car or rubs my knee with his thumb while we drive.

27. He always says he wants to hear my stories, even when I think he’s fibbing.

28. On one of our dates he said we were going to meet “someone extremely special” and took me to his dad’s gravesite. He said he felt his dad met with me in Heaven and sent me to take care of his son. We sat and talked while the sunset, and have been close ever since.

29. He says I look good in my jeans, T-shirt, and baseball hat. Those are usually the days I need to hear him say that the very most.

30. At night he always lets me hog the blankets, keeping a spare on his side for when I roll over and tear the one we “share” away from him.

31. I love that he roots for the Carolina Panthers, even when they stink.

There you go Spencer. Here is only a very small list of things that endear me to you. I am glad you have lived to be 31 and look forward to the lifetime ahead of us. You are wonderful and more than I could ever have asked for in an eternal companion. Love you, and Happy Birthday!