Birthday boy

It's Jon's birthday. Last night we met family at the local burger joint and munched on fries and watched babies play while everyone celebrated his entrance into being 29. When they brought his ice cream and sang he danced head bobbing left to right because "why not". Plus no one had a camera out so it was safe. Safe to be yourself... that's so like Jon.

Jon is usually more patient and more forgiving then me by leaps and bounds. He loves people well. He is the council of every friend in crisis he's ever had. He makes people feel safe to be themselves.

He is also an AMAZING father. It is in his nature to just stand back a little and let Layla experiment with life. She runs a little more free with Jon and it's made her confident and independent, two skills every daddy should be blessed to give their daughters. He's also the bad cop at our house when needed because I am a huge push over for tears.

Since marrying Jon we've encountered every possible obstacle and yet when I look at him I still feel calm and he has become a home for me to retreat to. I love him more now than I did the day I married him. A new kind of love, one forged by life's tests and decorated by small victories. A stronger love.

**and yes I am reposting this picture because it's still my favorite**