Happy Birthday Clay!!

By now you know who he is, and how we met, but rarely do I talk about just him.

After almost 14 years together we kind of have just gotten into a groove.  And I tend to just "group" him into my posts.  You never really get to hear how amazing Clay is and how lucky I am to have met him.  He  is romantic, and thoughtful, and funny, and hard-working and soooo Handsome.

When I look at Clay I still get that skip a beat feeling.  I love his long eyelashes, his crooked smile,  I love his ears, his broad shoulders and strong hands and of course that Big Toe.

I know I have said my friends know me.  But nobody knows me like Clay.  He can read my mind.  He knows every snarky remark before I say it, he knows when I'm madly in love with something and can't live with out it.  He knows when I'm on the verge of tears, and when I'm so excited I'm about to burst.

He puts up with me.  And all my crazy.  My love of cooking and my constant attempt to try new things, my love of photography and always having a camera attached to me.  My insane ideas-like dragging an air mattress outside with snow on the ground in 30 degree temperatures wearing pajamas, so that our Christmas Card is adorable, all the while saying, "The sooner we do this to make your Mother happy the sooner it's over"

When we have a tiff, (after 14 years, they tend to come and go..)  I can't stay mad at him.  If I can still see him, I just can't stay mad....It's some magical power he has over me.

With every twist and turn our life has given us, we seem to conquer it and keep on truckin.

I have said many times that Clay is my soul mate.  I truly believe that.  I can not imagine myself with anyone but him.  He believes in me, he loves me, he has helped me become the woman I am today. 

And just when I thought I couldn't love him more, we had Jack and Madeline.  When he is with the kids, the love you see in his eyes is clear.  He adores those kids, and would do ANYTHING for them.  He is a wonderful Father.

He is the Good Cop, the Fun One, the Shoulder Ride giver, The Ticklish Tickler,  The Water Canon in the pool, The Golfing, Basketball-ing, all knowing computer/IPad/video-gamer.

and I am just Mom.  

And I'm okay with that.  Everyone needs just their Mom every now and again. 

I know Clay feels forgotten sometimes.  And it doesn't help that I gave birth to his only daughter the day before his Birthday, and now he has to share his festivities.  But I know deep down, he doesn't mind.  (He was the one that wanted a July Baby-I'm just sayin-) 

I'm here to tell you that you are not forgotten.  You are my one and only, my true love, my best friend.  You are who I want to wake up to every day, and kiss good night every evening.  You are the one I want to rock next to in my wooden rocking chair when I'm 90.  You are the one I want to make me sit down when I'm yelling too loud at Jack's Graduation.  You are the one I want to kick me when I tell Madeline her outfit is hideous.  You are the one I want to roll your eyes when I blame my gas on the dog.  You are the one I want the wink from when I nail a recipe and everyone at the table is gushing over how delicious my food is.  You are the one I want to hold claws with.  You are the one I want to continue to build this life with.

You. Are. The One.

So Happy Birthday Clayton.....

AKA

Pook, Pookie, Smooch, Clay-bert, Mr. Kirbyface, Lobster, Smoochers, Smoochie, Babe, Hot Stuff, Clay.

I love you to the moon and back.

Here's to many, many, many more Birthdays together.