For J.T. (Happy 34th Birthday)

Time flies...

Hi-Fives All Around

We were married in 2010, and now almost 5 years later, J.T. and I have expanded our family by one dog, two kids, and three cats. It's because of the two kids and J.T.'s busy travel schedule that we don't get to talk as much we'd like; and he's always telling me he enjoys reading about the inner workings of my mind on my blog, so here you go, J.T. - a blog post dedicated to you for your 34th birthday. 

I've given him a few gray hairs since this photo was taken. 

For those of you who know the pair of us, you are fully aware that J.T. and I could not be more different. If you are not aware, then please let me explain.

I like...

Animals, lots and lots of animals 

J.T. ran over the only (outside) dog they had as a child, and when his sister cried over the incident, he told her to "get over it." Until we got married, J.T. was not aware that people actually cohabited with animals and allowed them to live under the same roof. Ask him about the night he found out that cats like to sleep in the bed. J.T. also told me he would NEVER tell an animal he "loved" it and that doing so was completely ridiculous. Well, ask him how he feels about Moose. Never say never. 

Fair food (a.k.a. anything on a stick, fried, covered in sugar, on a bun, able to be eaten with fingers) 

J.T. pretty much refuses to eat funnel cakes, hot dogs, corn dogs, doughnuts, pizza, and ice cream. He clearly doesn't know what he's missing. 

Sonic and Dairy Queen 

J.T. avoids frozen dairy products of all sorts and is embarrassed (visibly cringes) that I respond "Sonic" when asked what my favorite restaurant is. 

Small talk 

If a conversation has no point, then J.T. will simply not engage in it.

Not wearing a watch and being perfectly oblivious to what day/time it is 

Not only would J.T. say this is rude, but he would also say this makes me a bad human because it quite often leads to me being "fashionably" late everywhere I go. 

Reading novels 

J.T. hates fiction of all kinds and doesn't understand the point of reading books about made up people, places, and events. He is a non-fiction only man. 

Sitting on the beach doing absolutely nothing but enjoying the beauty of God's creation 

J.T. doesn't like to sit still and smell the roses as the expression goes. Sitting and doing nothing to J.T. is the pain equivalent of having all of his limbs removed slowly while having to watch a Keeping Up with the Kardashians marathon. 

Taking an ungodly amount of time to "get ready" because...well...just because 

J.T. calls my bathroom the vortex because when I go in there to get ready, he worries that I may never return. He claims it takes THAT long. On the bright side, he has mentioned inventing some sort of device that dries hair faster and more hands-free than current blowdryer models.  

Rap and other popular music 

J.T. listens to Christian music and podcasts exclusively. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this habit, but I just can't imagine life without a little beat and a lot of bass every now and then. It's probably because he doesn't want our children whistling and singing along to songs like Jason Derulo's "Wiggle." Oops. 

Britney Spears 

I went to see her show in Vegas with my mom last year. J.T. still doesn't know who she is. I think he believes we went out there to visit an old friend.  

Browsing in TJ Maxx with no agenda  

J.T. would never go into any store much less the maze of merchandise that is T.J. Maxx without a plan or a list. The thought of me going in there to just "look around" makes him shudder. He'd rather have his eyelashes removed one by one than darken the door of such an establishment. 

Being spontaneous, a non-planner 

The fact that my family plans Thanksgiving the day before and Christmas Day on Christmas Eve is enough to send J.T. into orbit. And it often does.  

Coffee Mate coffee creamer 

J.T. refers to this powdered substance as "poor people" creamer. He can't understand my preference for non-dairy, powdered milk with no expiration date. I refer to it as advertised: Coffee's perfect mate. It's delicious.  

Hampton Inn & Suites 

J.T. is a self-proclaimed hotel snob. He can't believe that myself or anyone else in my family would sacrifice a "star" and the chance to stay at a luxury hotel for a hot continental breakfast. "But you get to make your own Belgian waffles and there's a vending machine in the hall!" we say.  

New Orleans 

J.T. hates this city. Maybe it's the voodoo creep factor, the drunken debauchery and general nonsense on Bourbon Street, or the possibility of either being pick pocketed or vomited on that keeps him at bay. Me...I'll brave almost anything for a beignet from Cafe DuMonde.  

Broadway musicals and other theatrical performances 

Let's just say I go to these alone. There's just only so much a man can take. 

And yet, ladies and gentlemen, I love and am happy to be married to this man. 

He often looks at me like I'm some sort of alien; my interests are sometimes that foreign to him. Which leads me to one (#1) of the many reasons I love J.T. He supports me liking all the above even though he doesn't really understand why I do. 

He's looking very Jimmy Fallon-ish in this photo.

By the way, we have quite a bit in common too. It's just the ways in which we're opposite are too funny not to share. 

So, bless his heart...

He is now a proud pet owner of more animals than children and has participated in several of my roadside animal rescue missions. He even brought home two kittens over a year ago because he remembered me saying how I wanted some outside cats to keep snakes and other rodents away.  

He happily takes me to the Fair every year so that I can eat food on a stick in addition to a gigantic funnel cake (despite the terrible childhood memory that a funnel cake conjures up).  

He gets behind my obsession with reading and collecting books by buying me old and rare ones by my favorite authors and subscribing to Oyster so that I can read all the fiction one mind can absorb.  

He never misses taking us or letting us go on a family beach vacations because he understands that time spent with the ones you love is more important that the location or place where you do it.  

He plays "mom" every Sunday and takes full responsibility for getting the boys bathed, dressed, packed, and ready for church so that I can enjoy my morning and take as long as I want (within reason) to get myself presentable for the outside world. 

Not long ago he took me to New Orleans for a little weekend getaway to shop and spend time together and to eat beignets. 

He's even attended a play (not of the musical variety) on Broadway with me in NYC. 

Last, but not least, he's the one who purchased the tickets for my mom and I to go see Britney Spears' live show "Piece of Me" in Las Vegas. 

Which brings me to another reason why I love  J.T. so much: He is selfless (#2). He never puts his needs before mine or our children's. He is always taking care of us, making sure we are healthy, well fed, and comfortable. Our happiness makes him happy, which is why he puts up with my weird quirks and weekly shenanigans. He's had to compromise quite a bit, but so have I. For example, I'm slowly making progress in terms of arriving on time to appointments, Bible studies, exercise classes, etc. I've also developed an appreciation for planning trip itineraries and making dinner reservations. Who would have thought? 

But, this post is about J.T. - the birthday boy - and how much I love and appreciate him, though I don't tell him nearly as often as I should. And since he is 34 years old today, throughout this post I'm listing the reasons (34 to be exact but in no particular order) for which he is deserving of my love and so much more. 

So, I'm now at #3: He loves my family. If you know me even just a little bit, then you know me and my family are CLOSE. We are loud, opinionated, funny, hungry, loyal, all up in each other's business, and are likely to talk over you in an argument. Members of my family are constantly barging through our back door (without calling first or knocking) to visit and have coffee or to see the boys. Most husbands would get mad, but J.T's response was "Well, I guess I just won't ever walk around the house naked." 

#4: He loves the Lord. This is what first attracted me to J.T. and drew me closer to him. I had never (and have never) met a guy quite like him. He said he was a Christian and actually acted like one. He shared Scripture with me, prayed with me, and encouraged me in my personal relationship with Jesus. And he does all of those things to this day. 

#5: He is trustworthy. If J.T. says he will do something, he will do it. He is someone I can count on, and he has never ever let me down. He is who he says he is, and he does what he says he will do. Period. He also keeps secrets, which I find annoying (sarcasm). But J.T. hates gossip and would never drag anyone's name through the mud, and I admire that about him. It also makes him a good friend. 

#6: He is generous. J.T. is generous with his money, his time, and his possessions. He is a donor/contributor to many god-honoring institutions. One of his passions is seeing the Bible translated into other languages so that people in remote areas of the world can have access to the Gospel for the very first time. Although he claims that his time is beyond precious to him (and it is), he is still willing to give of his time to volunteer at church, help my family members with various projects, help me with the boys, etc. And, if you need something and we have it, J.T. will give it to you. Simple as that. He's teaching me - slowly but surely - that worldly possessions don't matter that much and it is truly better to give than to receive. 

#7: He is handsome. A lot of people say he looks like Jimmy Fallon. He's even been asked for his autograph before. Jimmy is cute, but J.T. is the better looking one by far. He has a great smile and is photogenic too (too bad he loathes taking pictures). 

#8: He is encouraging. J.T. is always speaking words of encouragement. He doesn't let me talk negatively about myself and is always building me up. I'm grateful for his support in my various endeavors and will forever be grateful to him for believing in me. 

#9: He is motivating. J.T. single-handedly got me and my family off our butts and turned us into runners. He taught us about picking out the right shoes, race etiquette, performance gear, etc. He encouraged us to sign up for races, to get faster, and to believe we could train to run any distance we set our minds to. He gave us a lifetime sport that we can do together as a family. It's pretty cool. 

#10: He's a good dad. He is patient and kind, and he values my contribution to our family as a stay-at-home mom. He works really hard to make that a possibility. I am so thankful to be able to spend every day praying and playing with my children. 

#11: He's a spiritual leader. J.T. has opened my eyes to the freedom of living out the Christian life practically and in accordance with God's Word. He prays Scripture over our children. He prays for me too. He is active in our church where we attend as a family. He makes serving the Lord and church attendance a priority over vacations, over being sick, etc. He's faithful. 

#12: He's good at math. I'm terrible at math. In fact, I'm not even sure that I could solve 2nd grade math problems at this point in my life, not even at gun point. It's good to have a numbers guy around the house. 

#13: He's a man of action. He never puts off until tomorrow what can be done today. 

#14: He's a good cook. J.T. cooks almost every single night of the week for our family, even when he's coming in from a business trip. This makes me sound like a horrible person, wife, and mom; of that I am aware. It's not that I'm a horrible cook, but I'm an incredibly slow one. J.T. doesn't do "slow," therefore, he cooks. I'm all too happy to clean up the remnants of his culinary escapades even if it does look like a summer camp food fight occurred in our kitchen (every night). 

#15: He invites my parents over for dinner. He cooks dinner for my parents and our little family two to three times per week. He cooks way too much, so we need the additional hungry mouths to feed. But, it just goes to show how generous and thoughtful he is. He knows we love being together and he makes that happen. 

#16: He's a match maker. Although his efforts to set some of my friends up with their future husbands haven't exactly panned out yet, it's the thought that counts. I love that he cares about my friends' happiness as much as I do. 

#17: He's a great listener. And, he has a great memory (both a good and bad quality depending on the situation). He's always making a mental list of the things I say I want and need. Then, he surprises me later by making them happen or by giving little surprise gifts. He's pretty awesome that way. 

#18: He's an Amazon Prime member. Oh! the shipping perks!

#19: He's got status. One of the benefits of J.T.'s busy travel is all the hotel points, frequent flyer miles, and other travel status boosters he accumulates. I'm always happy to receive an upgrade to first class or to a room with an incredible view. 

#20: He loves to worship. He knows he's a terrible singer, but he doesn't let that stop him from singing out to the Lord. I really enjoy watching him worship because he is so sincere and means every word he sings. I may need earplugs, but God loves to hear the praise - however off key - of his children. 

#21: He's a good trivia partner. J.T. is smart, and I'd like to think I am too. But we are smart in different ways, which makes us a killer team when it comes to games of trivia. This is similar to our real-life partnership too; our differences are complimentary. If we fully embraced this concept, then we'd be an amazing team every day!

#22: He loves Christmas. His love for the whole Christmas package is the only reason this Scrooge is going to muster up the energy to decorate a tree and police all breakable decorations like snow globes, lights, and glass ornaments for a month or so with two boys around the house this year. 

#23: He values working out/exercising. J.T. runs, does Crossfit, rows, and rides his bike (and it shows). He is one of the most active people I have ever laid eyes on. His energy astounds me. But, he knows that working out is good for the body and mind; therefore, he is always encouraging me to take time to workout and get an hour or so to myself. He even will give up his lunch break to watch the boys while I go to an exercise class. I'm grateful for that sacrifice; I fully believe that being able to workout and get healthy makes me a better mom. 

#24: He is thoughtful. J.T. commemorates events like the day of our first date by sending flowers and a sweet note. He sends flowers quite often, but always for different reasons: to make me smile if I've had a hard day, to say "I love you," or to surprise me. He knows that one of my favorite things is having a vase of fresh flowers around the house. They serve as a reminder that he is always thinking about me and our family while he is away. 

#25: He likes to travel. I'm so glad I married someone who longs to go beyond the borders of our home state and see the world. He travels frequently for business and takes me with him sometimes, but it's exciting to know that we'll travel abroad together some day. There's just something about the experience of visiting a new place and culture that bring people closer together.  

#26: He loves coffee as much as I do. We don't see eye-to-eye on coffee condiments. He likes flavors and I don't. He likes liquid cream while I prefer the powdered version. Even still, I love having someone to share the ritual of morning, afternoon, and yes, even evening coffee with. 

#27: He's an Auburn alum. So am I. And while I don't exactly get all riled up about football season like I should, I love Auburn University. It's neat to think our kids may attend college there someday too and have classes in some of the same buildings as we did and literally walk in our footsteps. 

#28: He's terrible at grammar, spelling, and punctuation.  This is how I know he is human. It also gives me a warm fuzzy to know that I'm better than him at something. 

#29: He's a reader of non-fiction. I was quite content reading works of classic literature, particularly Jane Austen and other British fiction favorites. But, I'm glad J.T. opened my mind to the world of non-fiction and Christian authors like Louie Giglio and Francis Chan. 

#30: He's a MENSA. I discovered this fun fact 2 years ago at Sam's Super Burger. Don't know what a MENSA is? Look it up. It's pretty incredible (and a little intimidating being married to one). 

#31: He's got an amazing work ethic. This is one of the many things I hope he passes down to our two boys. People everywhere value and respect a person who works hard toward a goal no matter how big or small. Ain't nobody got time for laziness! 

#32: He enjoys fine food. I'm not forgoing my love for Sonic and the Queen, but I've also really learned to enjoy the beauty of a fine dining experience thanks to J.T. Going to a nice restaurant with carefully prepared food, amazing atmosphere, silverware, and a dress code that requires a bit more than pajamas is a wonderful thing, an event unto itself, where food comes in courses and isn't ordered numerically. Dinners like this are meant to be savored. 

#33: He moved us back to Mobile. After one year of marriage, J.T. made a huge sacrifice moving our family from Birmingham to Mobile. Although not on his top 100 cities to live in, he knew that longterm we would be happy here and that our kids would be surrounded my lots and lots of family. I know it makes travel that much more difficult because of our tiny, overpriced, located-in-the-middle-of-nowhere airport, but thank you!

#34: He loves me. I could go on, but then J.T. might start to realize how long it's taking him to read this post and quit reading entirely, so I'll wrap it up. Every single day, J.T. tells me that he loves me, but more importantly, he shows me every single day through grand and baby grand gestures. Actions speak louder than words, and I hope that our boys learn from his actions how to love not only me, but their aunts, grandmothers, other family members, and other people. Thank you for loving me daily; I know that I don't make it easy. 

Our precious family of four. 

J.T., I know I've probably embarrassed you, but I hope you get the message. I love you; I appreciate you; and I'm so glad you chose me. 

HAPPY 34th BIRTHDAY