Happy birthday home on the range (under the begonia)

Happy 58th to my sweet spouse of lo these many years. Seems like yesterday that we walked down the hill together from work and you asked me to go for a bike ride. I borrowed a "balloon tire bomber" from my friend. I thought our ride would be just around the neighborhood. I didn't know you had 35 miles up in Ogden on your mind! That was the beginning of my developing some good habits, including exercise and also wearing a seat belt. You insisted that I wear one in your little BMW - I can't believe that I didn't used to think it necessary!

So the rest is history. Our bike ride turned into several more, me getting a new bike (which unfortunately sits in our garage, unused (but so does yours). We moved in together when it wasn't as acceptable to do so as it is now. Then we got married after a year of "living in sin". Your mother was disappointed even though she thought I had "pretty hair and a nice smile". My mom just said it gave her "a funny feeling in the pit of her stomach" but still she called you when I was working to check you out and make sure you were good enough for her baby girl. You were and are!

I wish we had wedding pictures, but unfortunately the camera was left on the top of someones car and they drove off, sending the camera and our pictures (but so far not our memories) into the ditch to maybe be picked up by someone else who took the camera and threw the film away. I often wondered what happened to them? We were married up in the canyon where only our fittest friends joined us because they had to hike about a mile into the woods. Seven months after we got married, we were expecting Kseniya - I was in shock and you simply said "Well, I guess we have to think of a name!" We went through this two more times before we were done.

We have been lucky over the years....really lucky. No major disasters or things we couldn't deal with. I credit you for how well our three kids turned out (I would have let them watch TV all day). You got to stay home with them and I was jealous - a little. I know it wasn't easy because being a stay at home dad is only now viewed upon as being a cool thing to do. You were and are a "sensitive new age guy" before your time!. I can still see you sitting on the floor putting those pink curlers in Kseniya's hair and giving lectures to each kid on the their first day of school.

I liked how you made us all tough. "If you're breathing, you're going" you would say to the kids when they wanted to stay home from school, sending them with some Tylenol tucked into their pants pockets for later. As for me, you made me change my own flat tires on my bike even though sometimes I got so frustrated after I kept pinching the tires and putting more holes in them. Eventually I learned how to do it.

The years have passed and the kids have left the nest. Some days you tick me off (as I am sure I tick you off). However, I never have regretted spending all of these years with you. Your "still the one - my better half. We're still having fun and you're still the one."

Even though you don't like to dance, I plan on dancing with you till the end! I appreciate and love you for the following reasons - or should I say, let me count the ways:

1. You are down to earth and never pretend to be someone you aren't.

2. You know how to enjoy the simple things in life and don't sweat the small things.

3. You tell me when my ass is getting fat (so far that hasn't been necessary)

4. You accepted my weird family and stood there while my drunk brother yelled in your face.

5. You are kind and funny (I don't always appreciate the sarcasm though). You like old people.

6. You have allowed me to run off with other guys every Saturday.

7. You are one hell of a good cook!

8. You've kept your boyish shape!

9. You cried harder than I did when my dad died.

10. You accept me and all my weirdness and encourage me all the time. I like how you say "Make it a good day".

Happy birthday and may we share many more together.

Grow old with me

The best is yet to be