Happy Birthday Husband!

Today is a very big day at our house - it's Brandon's 28th BIRTHDAY!! All together now -

Happy Birthday to you!

Happy Birthday to you!

Happy Birthday dear Brandon,

Happy Birthday to you!

Thanks, I'm sure he really appreciated that. In honor of Brandon turning SUPER old (I only get 9 months before I turn 28, so for the next 9 months B is SUPER old... after October 14th, 28 is a wonderful age. Prime years of life for sure!) I thought I'd post 28 reasons why I am so very thankful he is my husband. So, in no particular order...

#1. He laughs until he cries often, I've never known anyone that actually does that, but he does... and it's the cutest thing ever. The fact that his laughter comes easily and is always so very genuine makes me fall in love with him a little more...

Blythe's first time ice skating.

#2. He loves kids - my cousins, his cousins, his friend's kids, random kids - doesn't matter to him! And they flock to him! My 10 year old twin cousins, Jake and Brooks, think he is the coolest thing ever because he always calls them when we go to the lake so they can go tubing with us. His 7 year old cousin, Sophie, calls him to leave him voicemails saying that she loves him. My 3 year old niece, Zoe, always wants to sit with "Bwan-den" because he always tells her she sure is pretty and when she asked for a piggy bank, he delivered! And then there is little Lane, his best friend's oldest son, he adores "Uncle Bean" because they really like to get the monsters and beat them up! The fact that someday he is going to be one absolutely amazing dad makes me fall in love with him a little more...

#3. He never fails to help me with the dishes, regardless of how tired he is. The fact that he always tries to make my life a little easier makes me fall in love with him a little  more...

#4. He is always open to suggestions. Many times I am guilty of being stuck in my ways, or having my mind made up before I even listen to all of the options, not him. If someone has a comment, a criticism or an idea, Brandon stops and listens. He hears them out completely and he thinks about the things that are said. This is such a wonderful attribute. The fact that Brandon is open to listening to others, and in addition, applies their advice, criticism or thoughts to his day to day life makes me fall in love with him a little more...

Competition at its finest.

#5. He beats me at stuff. Whether it's rock climbing, fishing or just who can get home the quickest, he accepts and challenges my competitive nature. He doesn't hold back because I'm a girl, so that when I beat him I know I earned it. He puts me in my place the minute my pride starts to swell. The fact that he can keep me humble, but lets me know I make him proud, makes me fall in love with him a little more...

#6. He has a thirst for Christ. He is so good to spend time in God's word and he talks to God continuously throughout his day. He is the Christian leader that I prayed for for so long. The fact that I can rest assured that he will always lead me (and our family) down the straight and narrow path makes me fall in love with him a little more...

#7. He is a giver, he will give the shirt off his back without hesitation and with no strings attached. The fact that his generosity challenges me to look for opportunities to give to others makes me fall in love with him a little more...

Getting engaged under our tree.

#8. He proposed and then married me at the Ranch. The fact that he started our family memories at my most special place made me fall in love with him a little more...

#9. He looks handsome in a suit and tie, but even better in cowboy boots. The fact that he can blend into any environment without missing a beat makes me fall in love with him a little more...

#10. He is sensitive, but strong. He has the most precious tender heart and if you tell him a painful story, he'll sit down and cry right along with you. He is not afraid of what others think, therefore he does not mask his emotions. Yet, his strength is unquestionable. He has a sturdy foundation that allows him to add your burdens to his back and he'll try his best to carry it all. When crisis strikes, he is calm and unwavering. The fact that I know I can always lean on him makes me fall in love with him a little more...

#11. He color coded his closet before I even came into the picture. The fact that he is neat and organized and takes pride in his things being well taken care of makes me fall in love with him a little more...

Levi and B heading out for a night ride at the Ranch.

#12. He is hugely loved by my family. My grandma calls and invites him over for breakfast and makes no mention of me tagging along. My dad gets so excited about buying him presents for whatever hunting season is up next. My mom loves that he sits in the kitchen talking to her while she fixes dinner. My Aunt and Uncle gave him a key to their Ranch - a true sign of complete acceptance. My cousins give him a lot of crap - it's our way of showing love. The fact that I know all my people love him for him and not just because he's married to me makes me fall in love with him a little more...

#13. He wants to travel and see EVERYTHING. The fact that he wants to explore the world with me makes me fall in love with him a little more...

#14. He kisses my forehead sometimes in the middle of the night while he sleeps, I only know because it wakes me up occasionally. The fact that he loves me even when he's sleeping makes me fall in love with him a little more...

#15. He is even better than the man I had hoped and prayed for my entire life. I always had this vision in my head of what my husband would look like although I could never see his face directly - we are sitting at this long table with my family and he is smiling and talking and everyone is laughing and happy. All I can see is that he has dark hair, the details are all blurred, but I can tell he has a very big smile. Today this vision has come to life. Brandon is everything I wanted and so, so much more. He is loving and kind. Patient, but not a push over. He has a happy disposition and always sees the positive side of things. He loves Christ and lives according to HIS plan. He makes sure that I know he loves me. The fact that he is better than I ever imagined makes me love him even more...

OUR brothers.

#16. He is a really good brother to all his brothers. I am so thankful for the relationship he has with my little brother. I knew they would be great friends because I saw how he treated his brothers. His brothers never doubt that he has their backs, he supports them, loves them and is always so proud of them. The fact that he treats Zac like his brother, not his brother-in-law, makes me fall in love with him a little more...

#17. He is the most thoughtful person I know. He writes the best thank you notes in the world. He always thinks of others first. He always buys presents that actually mean something. He will call you just because. He remembers things that people tell him and then he'll check up with you to see how it worked out. The fact that he always considers others, and goes out of his way to put them first, makes me fall in love with him a little more...

#18. He allows my Christmas tree fetish to continue and actually supports it. He kept his end of the deal and let me get another (which kind of turned into three) new Christmas tree during the Hobby Lobby 80% off sale. The fact that he likes our house to look pretty during Christmas makes me fall in love with him a little more...

#19. He is so stinking smart! The fact that he values education, desires to be a never-ending learner, and is always striving to better himself makes me fall in love with him a little more...

#20. He loves his Momma. I've always believed that if a man loves his mother, he'll respect the woman he makes a mother. The fact that he understands and appreciates the important work of a mother makes me fall in love with him a little more...

Hand-picked flowers.

#21. He makes me feel loved, adored and cherished on a daily basis. He picked me flowers and delivered them in a Dasani water bottle because he saw them on his way to the house and he knew I'd like them. He glazed our entire bedroom while I was at work because he wanted me to come home to a surprise. He tells me I do things well and when I didn't do something well, he tells me he's proud of me for trying. The fact that he shows me he loves me just as often as he tells me he loves me makes me fall in love with him a little more...

#22. He works very, very hard to take care of his patients. He truly cares about the people he treats everyday. Caring for his patients, as opposed to simply treating his patients, can be physically, mentally and emotionally draining, but he recognizes that he has been given an opportunity to help other's during a time of pain and suffering. The fact that he is a doctor for all the right reasons makes me fall in love with him a little more...

#23. He encourages me to try new food. Without him, I would have totally missed the boat on sushi... and hibachi... and lots of other really yummy stuff. The fact that he'll try a bite and be honest about whether or not I'll like it makes me fall in love with him a little more...

#24. He is really handsome! The fact that our kids will get his good genes makes me fall in love with him a little more...

Thunder Up.

#25. He loves sports, especially OU and the Thunder. He isn't one of those annoying sports fans though - he doesn't yell about every call or blame coaches for losses or let the outcome of the game ruin his day. Don't get me wrong, he gets into games and he isn't happy if we lose, but he loves sports while keeping them in perspective. The fact that when we are way too old to toss around the football or play one-on-one basketball, I know that we'll still have fun watching games together and that makes me fall in love with him a little more...

#26. He added "wear out a saddle" to our bucket list. He doesn't really know much about riding horses (the one time I took him, he got bucked off) but he knows that it's something I love to do, so he is all in. The fact that he tries really hard to like the things that are important to me makes me fall in love with him a little more...

#27. He supports me (and therefore has patience with me) always - whether it's blogging, or adoption law, or raising money for athletics - he's always cheering me on. He doesn't care what I do, he just wants me to do something I'm passionate about. The fact that all he requires of me is that I do something that makes me happy, makes me fall in love with him a little more...

#28.  He makes me fall in love with him a little more every single day...


Happy, happy birthday sweet Husband. I am so very thankful for you. You always make me proud to be called your wife. Thank you for choosing me and loving me daily. I love you way more than 28 ways...

All my love,
Raegan