Happy Birthday Craigy!

This is the Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake the kids and I made for Craig

Daddy and Brendan with his homemade birthday card (Trinity was taking the pictures)

Today we celebrate Craig's birthday! He's 35 (says he feels 105) and we are so blessed to have another year with a godly husband and daddy! Craig was actually born on Father's Day! Now we have a Father's Day baby and a Mother's Day baby in the family. Craig has blessed our life in so many ways. He's the perfect yin to my yang.

I still remember when I first saw him. I was a nursing student taking a psychology course. On the first day my nerdy self had taken front row seat to pay attention. I was very intent to study and not pay attention to anything but aceing this class. I also had decided that I was finished dating...after dating many not so great prospects (read losers) and getting hurt many times. Then Craig walks in the door. He took my breath away and immediately I remember thinking he is so out of my league. But then two weeks later he is sitting behind me (he moved from the very back row to second row) and he's already figured out how to spell my first name (a strange spelling of the common Carrie). So me being a little paranoid think he's up there to cheat on my paper (can you tell I'm a little messed up). Plus this guy is so cute I think he's got to be dating a model. He opens the doors for me at school and the other women. I'm thinking okay you are too good to be true-what do you want. But after several dates I see he's genuine and he is really this wonderful guy. He brings me to church and my cynical beliefs of God he has no problem going against. I like that-I hate it when someone is not willing to challenge me. He invites me to church and it's the beginning of my coming to Christ.

He has grown so much over the 11 years we've been married. He came to Christ two years ago and the transformation softened his cynical countenance of other people. He became forgiving, less judgemental, and humbled. He is the best dad. He stands up for our family without apprehension. He stands up for our beliefs without second thought. Where I am irrational and fly off the handle he thinks things through in a reasonable manner. When we argue he's willing to duke it out until we are ok again. When we fight I run and pout and just want to give up and he never gives up. That man will chase me down until I talk. I love that about him.

When any of our family needs something he will go without something he obviously needs (like replacing a pair of dress shoes or tennis shoes that have holes in the soles) just so his daughter can have a dress for church or sandals or anything she might need. He will go without something he needs for Brendan who wants hulk jammies or batman underroos. And he constantly thinks about how he can make my life easier and then does something about it.

When I was diagnosed with all my diseases he cried with me and then stopped eating foods that I couldn't eat to support me (I can't eat tomato sauce or vinegrettes or spicy food and he is Italian and from New Orleans!). He stood up for me when people close to us thought I should just get over it and do what they wanted even when I was having a flare and in pain. He is my best friend!

I thank God for this man God created 35 years ago. I don't know what I would do without him. He is the best husband and father and best friend! Happy Birthday my sweetie!