The Big 4-0...

Today our RyGar turns 40.  

Which is strange to me, because at best he has the maturity of an eighteen year old!  I gotta say, Ryno... you're officially aged to perfection.  Now if only your hair and your goatee would go a little salt n' peppa for me I'd be in Heaven.  :)

For his fortieth I sent out a request, on the sly, to forty friends, family members, colleagues and mentors to mail a note to Ryan with a memory, some advise, or a funny quip about the birthday boy. Of course, everyone came through in droves to wish my main guy a happy milestone birthday and I'm so grateful for the time you took to send him a smile.  We have been so blessed to have you in our life and it sounds sappy, but it's true -- you've all played an integral role in shaping my favorite doooood.

Now on to my own anthem & memories for my main squeeze on his fortieth birthday...

It may shock you guys to know this - but initially, my Dad wasn't a fan of Ryno.  I think it had little to do with Ryan and LOTS to do with all the raw emotion of marrying off his first kiddo, let alone, his first daughter, but Ryno was ever a gentleman as we held "meetings" with my parents, and Carl "strongly urged" us to wait a little longer to tie the knot.  I was infuriated and stood up during one lunch in particular with a finger pointed at my Dad's face saying, "You'll regret this - I'll just head to Vegas  and elope tomorrow!" As I turned to leave, Ry grabbed my hand and sat me down and heard out the requests of a father who was struggling to let go of a daughter.  Somehow he had the where-with all to say something totally savvy like, "Well we've all shared our opinions.  We have a lot to think about, and I appreciate your feelings, Carl.  I hope you'll appreciate mine and Amber's as well as we work out a solution that everyone finds acceptable," as he simultaneously rubbed my knee beneath the table silently begging me to calm down, and looked "the enemy" (at the time) in the eye, as he held out a steady hand for a firm shake. 

I look back on it all now and just marvel at the role of "Switzerland" RyGar was able to play even when he was one of the opposing parties in the stand off.

Well, the rest is history.  I look back on the nine years we had together without kids and I just smile.  We were chasing career goals, flying to different cities and states, and enjoying our weekends more than any two people have ever done in the history of the world.  I don't exaggerate.  It was a charmed life with many a perks and we made the most of it.

We had our struggles - infertility being the main one, but again, with the patience of Job and the uncanny ability Ryno has to turn my head in the direction of all the positive things in our life, that chapter is a tiny shadow of what was our life at that time.  I'm grateful that he and I did not empower it to take up the majority of our thoughts or energy and we never lost hope or stopped believing as we made and collected memories.

And then it all culminated when we started our family.  Every love story is beautiful, as they say, but yes, ours is my favorite.  The miraculous arrival of Kael, Dax & Ace in short short succession was the best chaos my heart had ever wished for, come true.  And we get to relive those feelings of first becoming parents all over again with our little caboose, Boone.

Our life is SO good and I'm grateful every single day I chose you.  I love being your girl.  I love this sweet home we've built together.  I love watching you parent our boys and seeing the way they look up to you.  Mornings when we're all snuggled in bed together as the sun is rising are the most "feel good" moments of my life.  You're my best friend, a rock star teammate, and I have more than I should because of you.

You are so capable Ryno.  I believe whole-heartedly in you.  I know we've learned together that there are lots of things in life that aren't comfortable or ideal, but they could always be worse.  And a simple life of comfort does nothing to change us, mold us, make us into better, stronger or more beautiful versions of ourselves.

I look forward to figuring out the next forty years together and then at least another twenty after that. Let's play at least as hard as we work... let's choose happiness, let's make more beautiful things together and make mischief with our herd of "Mischievans".

 

 You're my number one -- and today, the world celebrates YOU and your arrival on this rock forty years ago.

XO Always, Birthday Boy.

You are so loved.