Josh is 30!!!

Holy Smokers!!! Josh turned 30 today (really yesterday as it is now after midnight). Josh was born at about 8:35 p.m. on the 18th of August. I have had the joy of spending the last 11 years of my life with him. He always seems to keep things exciting for us around here. I think of our time at IWU and think how complicated I thought life was at that time. Oh for the joys and carefree times of college...Our first kiss, the first time I wrote my mom and told her he was the guy I was going to marry (I think this was like 2 weeks after we met and not even really dating yet). I think it took him a little longer to figure this one out, maybe like 4 years longer but, hey, who's counting? :-) I think of our wedding and how amazing it was to stand at the altar and feel like I was standing in front of the most special, amazing guy in the world. I remember finding out we were pregnant with Noah and realizing how much our life was going to change. I remember sitting on our couch in our condo in California and telling him numerous times that NO I was not joking and yes we were having a baby. Three more quickly followed with a few more moves and job changes. Yet Josh always seemed to be the one to keep the positive attitude, the humor, and the one focusing our eyes on God. Then the unthinkable happened when Ava died and we needed to be strong for each other and hold each other up when the other thought they were dying. I was blessed with the most amazing husband. The one who can hold me when I cry and let me hold him when he cries. He's pretty incredible.

So I wanted to let him know I thought he was incredible so I threw him a surprise 30th birthday party. We went out to Carraba's with Mom and Dad and Holly and Jason and then headed home. Everyone was out in our backyard and surprised him. We had a cookout, waaaay too much to eat, cake, a toast to the birthday boy and just some quality time with friends. People left about an hour and a half ago. It was a great mix of friends, family and a few too many kids eating too much chocolate cake (Noah just fell asleep like 45 minutes ago) and turned out to be an enjoyable time together. A great friend of mine helped me throw it together and did a lot of the scheming with me and helped get it all put together while we were out to eat.

Times like this make me appreciate my family. I have an amazing mom and dad who take orders from me such as "Mom, You need to take us out for Josh's birthday and then go back home with us for the surprise. Holly and Jason too. Oh yeah, and you're paying." Aren't parents great? Then I have my kids who couldn't be sweeter. Noah kept saying "it's my daddy's birthday!" and sang his own little rendition of happy birthday with the whole party listening to him. Zoe was her sweet little self, following all the older boys around and trying to sneak all kinds of extra pop and sweets. Then my sweet little niece and nephews played out in the driveway in this big plastic bubble that Josh built for the kids this week. Everyone was so well behaved. I had fun just watching Josh interact with everyone and enjoying being the birthday boy. Even Tico (the dog) had fun being at the party and left a little present behind for us all to enjoy. Aren't dogs great?

All to say that my hubby is now the big Dirty 30 and I could not be more proud to be his wife. Yeah, he still does drive me a little crazy at times (he keeps insisting I sing this random song "Ain't No Sunshine When She's Gone" right now instead of finish my blog) but I enjoy our lives together all the same. So, if you see him and you didn't already, wish him a Happy Belated 30th Birthday!!!