The luckiest.

Today, this boy, my best friend of all time--- turns 32. So here you have it.

32 reasons I got LUCKY:

1. He still saves me the last bite.

2. He likes chick flicks

3. But he's MANLY. For reals.

4. He tells me I'm beautiful (with really good influction and tone.)

5. He knows... or has learned-- how much influction and tone matter to me.

6. He supports me in this photography thing so much--- If you were all scratching your heads as

to why I hadn't figured out that I stink yet, it'd be because of him. His fault-- my personal cheerleader.

7.He has hair on his chest.

8. He cries when he bares his testimony.

9. Or gives a talk in church.

10. Or witnesses a milestone with the girls.

11. Or when they catch the bad-guy in "The Mentalist."

12. He's rather tender.

13. He lives with JOY. My mother-in-law put it this way the last time we were at her house and

it hasn't left me. This is why he makes my life so happy. He makes himself happy--- he OOZES happiness.

14. He pretends he doesn't notice when I've added some holiday (holiday being used freely... as it can happen at any point in the year) pounds.

15. He believes in working hard, to play hard. And maybe the second part wins out JUST often enough.

16. He's a straight arrow. A rule follower--

17. and yet doesn't/couldn't/wouldn't judge a soul.

18..Which means more times than I'd like to admit, he's reminding me softly (as I'm caught gossiping) that I don't know the whole story and it's none of my biz-nass.

19. He'll stay on the couch by my side until I'm ready to close the lap-top and go to bed, even if he's been asleep for hours.

20. He always checks the windows, doors, and alarm at night. Even AFTER those hours asleep on the couch and even in his zombee state.

21. In our first house, we had a middle-of-the-night earthquake, and he had me swooped up and into the doorway before I had fully awaken. True story.

22. Last night we had another earthquake and he bolted up and put his arm over me. Apparently he's aware of the extra holiday pounds afterall.

23. He would rather be a father whose daughters KNOW him (and because of that, know themselves) than the most rich and powerful man in the world.

24. He's loyal--- to me and anyone he's ever known.

25. He's still got a jaw that makes me look a little longer than I should at this point. I think he's ho--ot. (that's "hot" not "hoot.")

26. Although, he is a hoot-- he just gets funnier with age.

27. His eyes are like the ocean, and for this reason, I'm glad he's got inSANELY strong genes. Because my daughters' are the same. And that just might be the reason I love photography so much.

28. He's got the perfect amount of nerd in him.

29. He's a dreamer, and yet easily pleased. So he'll always be thinking ahead and moving us forward... but will enjoy every phase along the way.

30. His chest is strong and broad, and seeing our newborn girls snuggled up on him might be a favorite image of all time.

31. He loves our Savior.

32. He chose me-- and makes me feel like nothing could have deterred him from that. He chose me even after I was an awful little 21-year old and he shouldn't have. He's all of these wonderful things and he makes me feel like he was always meant to choose me.

Like, I said. I got lucky.