Who had a birthday Friday?

This guy- Andrew Paul.

Seriously.  After posing for 100+ self-timer pictures to commemorate Andrew's big day, these are the best of the collection (good, not great).  My hubs is a cute guy, okay?  And that little dude, Oliver, isn't so bad, either.  So why do they look scared/scary in pictures?  Ya got me.  Not that I can really talk (my hair looks like a wig...I didn't want it to look flat.  It doesn't.  Mission [sort of] accomplished).  I guess G and M tie for the win.

Oh Andrew.  He's quite the guy.  Since you already know we don't have it all together and there are no perfect people in this world, I'll tell you one of the things I admire most about his character, and you won't judge me for bragging or being annoying, deal?

He's crazy about our kids.  Andrew is willing- even eager- to do any and all activities with these children.  Working in the kitchen?  Sure, he'll just put one on his hip, one on the counter, and one leaning over the boiling pot of whatever on the stove.  It's dangerous fun with Anj for a dad, did I mention that?  Like when they come back from an 'adventure' that meant hiking through snow up to daddyo's knees and thick underbrush, and half of the team has war wounds- Andrew wet up to his underwear from stepping through the ice on the creek, G with scratches across her face from thorns or brush or bear claws (uncertain, mixed stories).  He runs errands with these people- as in taking them to the grocery store.  Two of my worst nightmares come together in that sentence...my children in public and grocery stores.  That's practically a super power.  He's also not afraid to behave like a chimpanzee with the kids...or mountain lion or tyrannosaurus or whatever wild beast Oliver has seen on TV recently.  Then at bedtime, when I'm pooped and it hits the fan for 1, 2, or all 3 kids, he helps brush their teeth (oh, and the girls aren't super into dental hygiene, so there's usually a throw down show down between dad and daughter/s at this point), reads them a story, prays over them (not like praying over them with a hand raised, but praying over them with a voice raised...so God can hear over the noise of the little people) and tucks them in. 

I am crazy about Andrew (he'd tell you I'm just plain crazy).  I'm so grateful God put us together.