Happy Birthday, Joe

100 Things I Love About You
On Your 41st Birthday

1. You are gentle when it matters.
2. You love me the best way anyone could.
3. You encourage people to be better.
4. You genuinely love teenagers.
5. You have the best smile; it consumes your entire face.   

6. You are the perfect father for our kids.
7. You get things done!
8. You don't swear, and you don't like people who do.
9. You put people before tasks.
10. You have a strong sense of justice.

11. You are smart.
12. You enjoy having a beautiful lawn with all the work that entails.
13. You play just as intensely now as you did when you were 17.
14. You have an excellent work ethic.
15. You are not judgmental.

16. You trust.
17. You are a good son.
18. You never treated my mother the way she deserved to be treated.
19. You are friends with my sister.
20. You learned good things from my dad.

21. You support your family but balance that with playtime.
22. You love the Boundary Waters.
23. You love it more when I'm there with you.
24. You love Mexico, even though you never wanted to go there.
25. You like having new adventures with me and our boys.

26. You have high standards.
27. You are a good example for others.
28. You really, really love playing baseball.
29. You understand baseball better than anyone I've ever met.
30. You like to win, but you don't pout when you lose.

31. You know all the things I don't know.
32. You don't expect everyone to know what you know.
33. You are a great teacher/coach because you are patient.
34. You usually give the best presents in the world.
35. You don't mind that we can never see eye to eye unless I stand on a step.

36. You never say bad things about people you love.
37. You rarely lie.
38. You think about things I say.
39. You rarely give advice, but when you do, it's sound and reliable advice.
40. You make good friends.

41. You have a spot that's messy, and you're protective of it.
42. You otherwise like things in order.
43. You indulge in your love of all things sweet.
44. You are silly.
45.  You are strong.

46. You thrive under pressure.
47. You almost have a poker face, except for the muscle that ticks when you clench your teeth.
48. You mean what you say.
49. You do what you promise.
50. You apologize when you are wrong.

51. You teach me something new every day.
52. You are my resting place.
53. You make the bed and do the laundry.
54. You refold the clothes when I fold them "wrong".
55. You put my shoes in the closet when I leave them out and you never complain.

56. You pay our debts.
57. You are kind-hearted and sympathetic to others.
58. You wake up when I come home late and want to talk.
59. You listen again the next day when I tell you again.
60. You don't always think you have to solve my problems.

61. You own a batting cage and share it with everyone.
62. You play games with your sons that teach them while they're playing.
63. You love them beyond reason, but you never smother them.
64. You don't let me smother them either.
65. You are proud of them.

66. You see me with the eyes of love.
67. You treat me like your best friend.
68. You believe in "happily ever after."
69. You are authentic.
70. You never expect people to give you more than you offer in return.

71. You make the best pancakes in the entire world.
72. You put fuel in my car when it's raining or cold or I'm cranky.
73. You climb on the roof every winter -- just after the cold snap -- to put our star on the roof.
74. You can tell me the same story three times, and your enthusiasm increases each time.
75. You don't understand decorative towels, but you tolerate them.

76. You forgive me when I fail.
77. You forget the times I failed.
78. You say you're sorry when you're wrong.
79. You are not afraid to make me listen to you, even when I'm not cooperative.
80. You know how to think of marriage building ideas (the Question Game!).

81. You love to shop for Christmas.
82. You think of things people would really love to give as gifts, even when they don't know they'd love them.
83. You are the best turkey carver in the world.
84. You support my "never-make-the-same-recipe-twice philosophy" until we find something that should be made twice.
85. You always do your mother's Thanksgiving dishes and she loves you for that.

86. You love to solve mysteries.
87. You love the smell of fresh flowers as long as they don't smell like "funeral flowers".
88. You wish funerals didn't occur, but you go to them when you have to go.
89. You love people who can solve mysteries.
90. You solve mysteries every day of your life.

91. You love Christmas best of all.
92. You love to watch people open the presents you chose for them.
93. You love when someone surprises you with the Best Gift of All.
94. You love when YOU surprise someone with a gift they love, but didn't know they wanted.
95. You love decorating for Christmas.

And... the five BEST things about you...

96. You believe.
97. You trust.
98. You learn.
99. You live.
100. You love.

And because of all those things, I love you.