It's my man's birthday today!!! Of course I have a few things to say about that! Reflecting and writing is what I love to do!
My little secret is not so much a secret anymore. He is allowing more and more people into his world and I couldn't be more proud of him. I have known for 19 years who this man is and at times have had to defend him when he was misunderstood. Working as a prison guard for fifteen years had indeed taken it's toll, but through it all, Ralph remained a man of integrity.
He was and still is honest, hard working, and has a heart to serve.
Ralph's desire to raise Godly men is evident in the amount of time he spends with our boys. He sacrificed friendships, get togethers, and time for himself for years because his priority remained his family.
God will honor it. Of that I am certain.
I also pulled a few things I said to him from his birthday love letter this year instead of thinking up more. Not to mention, he is legitimately waiting for me so we can watch the new Top Gun movie.
"We say this every year, but it feels so true in the moment and that’s that I can’t believe it has been another year. Your birthday was the first one we had here in Florida and it was a big one! I wished we could’ve done more for your 40th, but you were more than ok with it. You had the Campell’s there, your lemon meringue cheesecake, and your family. My simple man. I’m grateful that you don’t demand so much when the demands of everything else around us are a lot.
The older we get, the more we see how short life is. We value our health and recognize what a gift it is to not have any chronic diseases, major injuries, or cancers. I love that we both regularly thank God for that gift. I know it won’t last forever, but I am sooo grateful that we are on the same page with how to care for our bodies and our children’s.
We also both see how much more valuable time is than money. We have seen too many people wrapped up in the world, pursuing meaningless positions, and prioritizing their income. Truly, I thank God that we are united in not caring about driving nice cars, living in fancy houses, constant entertainment, eating out, new clothes, and wanting the latest and greatest fad. All we see is valuable time and money being sucked out of a person when there is a constant pursuit of those things. A chasing after the wind.
And here we are in our little house, two paid for vehicles that are ugly and dented up, but our joy is real. We can enjoy time as a family and each other.
We have our health. We actually have time to invest in our boys.
I am so proud of you. You have made decisions the last couple of years that have been full of faith and trust in God. To say that it’s attractive is an understatement. Thank you for trusting me, too when all of these years I have expressed the direction I believe God was moving us in. That speaks volumes to me. To have a mutual respect for each other and to value each others opinions is such a rarity in a relationship.
I am still
so in love with you, Ralph.
To be able to still feel that after 19 years of being together
is a testament
to the work of God in our lives."
Happy birthday, Ralphie! I am so glad you were able to have such a wonderful day. To see you smiling made me smile. To hear you say what a great day you had multiple times because you were home with your family, that you were able to go hiking with a friend, and eat lemon meringue cheesecake brings me great joy. May your 41st year be one of satisfaction, fulfillment, peace, joy, and God led. My love for you is deep.
Happy birthday Ralph. I am proud of you!!! All I’ve ever asked of you was to take care of my baby girl. You have done that and so much more. You model what a true father, husband and friend look like. Through your toughness, there’s a heart focused on doing and seeking God first in everything you do. Keep listening to Gods call on your life.