Dirty Thirty

My husband turns 30 on July 30. I almost bought him ESPN’s collection of 30 for 30 films…but I bought something much more frivolous for him instead – and can’t say yet, as it’s a secret!

In celebration of his landing on the big 3-0, I have compiled a list of thirty of my favorite memories of him – that aren’t mushy! ;)

1. The day we decided to play our own version of “Office” Olympics in our house. I slid very well across our hardwood floor…he did not. Luckily, we did not have to go to the hospital!

2. The day he stopped by the side of the road to pick me wildflowers…and when he picked them, he got mud all over his pants!

3. The day he yelled my, ahem, school nickname (probably shouldn’t broadcast it online) when I graduated with my master’s, and my mom was certain someone would shank them.

4. The day we did the Warrior Dash together. Epic win.

5. Every time I scare him in the house. He’s gotten smart, though, and if he thinks I’m hiding, he goes immediately into Defense Mode. It’s getting harder and harder to hide and scare him, ha!

6. When we wrote an article about the Left Behind series authors – even though, um, technically, I put myself on that article with him. However, he was such a sweet gentleman and allowed me to co-author the article.

7. Speaking of writing, we wrote a book!! Getting up early every morning and drinking coffee with him while we wrote – good memories.

8. Going to the Viking Cooking School together – including the time he slammed his head on the vent hood and cut himself. He was such a trooper – hair was hanging down from the vent hood, and he was bleeding, but he didn’t complain once. I, on the other hand, nearly passed out.

9. When he cheered me on for my first and second half marathons. Nothing is sweeter than a champion-sized hug after running for two hours.

10. Ah. That makes me think of another happy memory: all of the Saints games we’ve gone to – and watching them win the Super Bowl together. We were both on a winning high for a month.

11. Kyle goofing off at Misti’s wedding. And Kyle having to leave after being particularly smart-aleck due to an, ahem, wardrobe malfunction, lol!

12. The Redneck Water Park summer at Chris and Angie’s house.

13. The phone call he made to me before he flew to Hawaii the first time: “If my plane goes down and we’re ‘Lost,’ I’m joining up with Locke.”

14. Bwahahahaha!!! The April Fool’s Day prank I played on him last year when I had a REAL positive pregnancy test…but it wasn’t mine! ;)

15. How he plays music. Swoon. Okay, so this wasn’t supposed to be mushy, but MAN, he can play the keys.

16. When we moved to NOLA, and he told some dude who carried a gun and walked a Chihuahua and lived in the apartment above me, “Oh, no, we’re not living together. She’s here all by herself, and I’m living forty minutes away in Luling.” FYI, we switched homes that. night.

17. How sometimes he’ll laugh so hard he cries. It makes me crack up every time.

18. The best vacation ever: Boston. Everything about that trip was perfect.

19. Riding rides at amusement parks over and over and over and over again. I’ve never met anyone who likes to go on rides as much as I do other than him.

20. Trail biking at the parish park during the summer with friends.

21. Walking in the rain – and not caring.

22. When we “compromised” on what breed of dog to get – I wanted Chihuahua, and he wanted a Siberian husky, so we decided on a pug (don’t ask). And then thanks to Misti’s Chihuahua, Sophie…we got Vicki the Chihuahua!

23. Exploring our new backyard trails with him.

24. The first day I met him. I was a freshman in college, and he was so kind to me, and I remember thinking, “That dude is hot! But I bet he already has a girlfriend…” (He didn’t, but we both dated other people that year.)

25. I convinced Kyle to become a coffee connoisseur. I LOVE that we drink coffee together…though sometimes we may compete over the last Wild Mountain Blueberry or iced coffee!

26. Getting our master’s degrees. We’ve never graduated together, but that’s okay. That means more parties!

27. When he and a bunch of our friends put up Christmas lights at our house and their houses. They spent the day working to put Christmas lights up on everyone’s house.

28. Our wedding, when he pulled open his shirt to reveal his Superman shirt underneath. Priceless.

29. Going everywhere with him. I love our vacations. It’s just so great to always travel with your best friend.

30. Watching fireworks one Fourth of July in a parking lot in Hot Springs. We were the only ones in the parking lot, and it was just a sweet time standing up through his car’s sunroof watching the fireworks.

…and many more!!! Happy birthday, love!