my sweet buz

tomorrow (09.07.08) is buz's birthday.

today he went with my cute dad to a football game 3.5 hours away. that's 3.5 hours each way. clearly, my husband and father get along.

so tonight, before he gets home, i want to try to honor him.

which is tough.

because he's that guy. the guy that does NOT take a compliment well. the guy that never asks for anything specific. the guy that never has anything on his birthday or christmas list. the guy that is totally content giving ME something for HIS birthday.

i know.

so tonight, i am determined to make a fuss over him. and lieu of the time i have before he gets home, none of this will be in any form of chronological order. forgive me. (yes, it's killing me that it's out of order. oh well. anything for my man.

always helping goo be a part of what big h is doing. even though she doesn't ever thank him. ever.

the one time a year i see him OVER THE TOP excited. when the newest version of either Madden or NCAA football comes out on playstation. this year was even bigger. what my parents and his parents got him? playstation THREE.

oh my word. since he's a guy and doesn't care about age like women do, i'd like to go ahead and share that he is THIRTY-NINE. see the grey in his beard? yeah, but he still loves playstation.

always doing the job that no one wants. in this case, making sure goo doesn't fall on her face (i.e. goo duty). he even asked, "who do you want? goo or big h?" and selfishly, i said " big h." because he's easier.

(for those of you know me in real life and HAVE KNOWN me for some time, can you believe i would ever say "because big h is easier?")

this guy does ANYTHING for my little boy. anything. he loves him to the moon and back. and my little man? feels the exact. same. way.

see? cut him some slack. this is july 4 of this year. they are out past big h's bedtime. big h is wiped out. and already in his jammies, i'll point out. but buz? smiling. because like i said...he will do anything for him.

where am i in this picture? at home. with goo duty. because she was asleep. see? i got the easier job.

cute. that's all.

there is dad. always in the middle of all the action. what was i probably doing at the time? laundry. making someone's bed. reading a blog or eight. not buz. he does not want to miss a minute.

seriously. i am head over heels for this guy.

oh my heavens. our first official date. new year's eve. first of all, what material is my dress made of? anyone (other than my mother) noticing my sweet watch? i'm cool. and the bangs? kelly and i have a tendency to get our hair cut when we're together. this was an unfortunate event. but then, just look at buz. he's going to KILL me when he sees this picture. clearly, it was december. because the color of our skin? i'm blinded just looking at it.

and if you really want to know...no kiss. because it was a group date. awkward. that's another post for another day.

buz being THRILLED on my baptism day. i was honored to have him right next to me.

again with the always doing anything for big h.

i have to tell a fun story about the next picture. we took the car seats out to clean one saturday. and in true buz fashion, he decided to make a game out of it. he pretended they were rocket seats. he would shake them. then say blast off. and they would go flying. they both loved it.

know what i would've done? just cleaned the carseats.

i know looks aren't everything, but oh. my. right here -- green bay, wisconsin. another time i saw buz totally pumped and full of excitement.

see the theme?

grrr...

big h took this picture. impressive. and for you photographers out there, what do you think of big h's use of flare?

mavericks game. straight from work. seems as though buz had a long day.

buz dancing with my mom at our wedding. and i'll say it. he is the BEST son-in-law. ever.

when buz surprised me with my fantasy dream vacation -- new york city at christmas. he is so thoughtful. that was on my list of things i wanted to do in my lifetime. and he made it happen.

first time we ever went to the horse races together. and he won. and i wore a "horse race hat" because his mom told me to. and she knows best with these kinds of things.

i love that he is SO handy around the house. he does so many things himself that we could probably just hire someone to do. but the pride that comes from doing it himself is so fun to watch.

the first time he met my brother and his wife. they totally hit it off. that sealed the deal for me.

the night we got engaged. please tell me i've told that story. i haven't? a different day.

buz and my awesome father-in-law doing a house project. that's where he learned his mad handy man skillz.

our first date once we were "dating." after dinner here at the magic time machine, we went to the movies. and held hands. and i can't begin to tell how my heart raced.

when we went to dinner with our moms. they loved each other instantly. which again...sealed the deal. oh, and look how sweet he is with his mom? holding her hand? in his thirties? he's the whole package. (and when i scanned the picture, there was a piece of paper on the scanner. which is why i appear to have a huge white triangle on my arm.)

i love that buz is willing to do anything for me. like to take sorority pictures in the backyard. this is part of the dating era.

this was, according to buz's brother "the first time you will see janet in a swimsuit." good times. nothing like bringing the obvious to the table. but let the record state that the enormous fish on the left that i am holding? yeah, i caught that. those fish that buz is holding? someone else caught. he just wanted something to hold. that picture is on the wall in our room. it makes me happy.

big h. daddy. no more to say.

goo's first birthday. she's thrilled, obviously.

vacation without children. and me with an ice cream cone.

buz swears that goo isn't that into him. i beg to differ. so does she.

big h. daddy. right. got it.

the day we brought goo home from the hospital.

the day after goo was born.

the spiritual leader of our family. always loooking towards Christ for our every need.

bottom line. my mom summed it up best one time when she said, "there is nowhere that guy would rather be than with you and your childrne."

and as conceited it sounds, she's right.

buz gives me/us 110% of himself 110% of the time. and never, NEVER asks for anything in return.

buz. thank you. thank you for being my best friend. for being my husband. for being the best father big h and goo could ever ask for. and for being the leader of our home.

i love you. i hope you have a wonderful birthday. you deserve the best.