Happy Birthday Ben! Your letter included!

I'm a little late on this one. My laptop was in for repair during Ben's birthday, so I didn't get a chance to do his birthday post.

Ben turned 29 years old on January 30th. 

We had a wonderful day celebrating it at home with our children.

 I made Ben a German chocolate cake.

 The children always help Ben blow out his birthday candles.

 Madison wanted to wrap up a gift for him. She did a great job! :)

 Once Courtney saw what Madison did, she wanted to join in on the fun.

She ran up to her room, and grabbed something to wrap up.
She wrapped it in newspaper because the party was getting ready to start, and the wrapping paper was already put away.
I love it!

Marshall gave Ben a Lego. He said he didn't have time to wrap it. :)

Ben unwrapping Madison's gift to him. She was so intense.....

And excited!

She gave him a seashell

AND.......

A glass frog :)

Ben unwrapping Courtney's gift to him

I just love her little smile here

She gave him a cow that I made as a teenager for a young woman's activity. 

The funny thing is that Ben was probably living in Mona at the time I made this. 

After opening this gift Ben said to me, "I bet when you were making this, you never thought your daughter would be giving it to me." 

He is right! Never in a million years would I have ever guessed that I would have ended up marrying Ben McQuivey. 

I am SO glad that I did. 

I am blessed.

 

Later that evening I had Ben open his other gift from us. 

Myriam was not a happy camper.

My world.

To the love of my life,

I love you and I know you love me. I'm so thankful that we mold together so well. You were the missing puzzle piece to my life. With you, I am complete.

Thank you for being YOU. I could not imagine my life without you in it.

This afternoon when you woke up and came downstairs, you saw me sitting at the kitchen table frustrated. You asked me what was wrong and I broke down in tears. As I explained everything that was wrong (a cake dilemma. Looking back I know how silly I was being), you soothed and comforted me. You were just what I needed. You stayed by my side for as long as I needed you. Thank you for being my rock, and for continually picking me up and encouraging me to press forward even when I don't feel like trying.

You are my best friend. I am so thankful that I can tell you anything and everything. When you are away, I cannot wait until we see each other again so I can hear about your day and also tell you about mine. I'm so thankful that I can laugh with you, cry with you, have countless hours of conversations with you, and strive harder to be a better person with you. You are amazing. Simple as that. I admire you. 

Thank you for putting up with me when I'm hard to handle, which I know is way too often. You have never complained, not once. You politely listen and give me encouragement.

Thank for never failing at showing me daily just how much you love me, and just how much I mean to you. I love you, and you mean the world to me.

I am blessed to have you in my life. The children are blessed to have you in their lives, too. They love you and they know you love them.

I look forward to spending the rest of my life with you. I wouldn't want my life any other way. 

Love,

Your wife