Happy Birthday, Handsome

I am behind on blogging
and this post is long overdue
(sorry future children, who I will force to read this blog)
but it was my (way) better half's birthday last week.
He's 26 now!
I think he's the best thing to ever happen to this world.
And it's because of everything he's taught me.
I have learned so much from him on how to be a better person ever since I met him,
but especially in the last 3 months and 1 day we've been married.

Here is a list of things the birthday boy has taught me:

1-Don't compare yourself to your friends.
This is one of the biggest lessons he's taught me. I have an amazing group of girlfriends. A lot of us got married around the same time, and it's only human to compare yourselves! Your engagements, your wedding budgets, your bodies, your rings, your honeymoons, your flowers- anything and everything. It was tough, and I was tough on myself. Brennan picked up on that, and told me that I had to stop comparing myself to my friends. He flat out told me that guess what, their weddings may be better than yours, and who cares? Because we have each other, and we know what we have. And the moment I realized that, I was at complete peace for the first time during the whole planning process, and I could enjoy life so much more. It's still true to this day, and it's always a process, but I'm much happier when I focus on just my life with my Brennan.

2-Teasing is necessary.
Brennan feels it is his duty to tease me since I didn't grow up with brothers. So when he comes home from work and licks me like a dog, tickles me TO DEATH, or tackles me to the floor, I try to enjoy it. ...And fight back. This has taught me not to take myself so seriously.

3-Have good people skills and good things will happen to you.
Brennan has taught me this one only through example. I just watch him in social settings. He is so nice, funny, and generally interested in what people have to say, it blows my mind. He isn't just friendly, he is your best friend after 10 seconds of knowing you. And you know what's happened because of it? He gets offered jobs by people he helps at the bank. His professors love him. His institute teacher added him on Facebook and messages him every class he's not there. I didn't have to worry about taking him to my company Christmas party last weekend. He talked to my coworkers more than I did, and had plans to watch the Jazz game with one of them after the party. I am always so proud to call him my husband, especially in those situations, and I strive everyday to be just like him in social settings.

4-You don't always have to look perfect.
I've always loved hair, makeup, and clothes. But Brennan likes me best with no makeup and in jeans and a t-shirt. If he had it his way he would throw my makeup away. It's been so refreshing for me. He's made me so comfortable in my own skin, even when I wake up with a zit or my hair is going every direction possible, he makes me feel so pretty and has never pointed out a flaw (and I have many of them). There is so much power in realizing you aren't perfect and don't have to be.

5-You do not need to spend $250 on Christmas decorations.
The day after Thanksgiving, Brennan had to work, so my mom and I headed out to find me some Christmas decorations. I love having our own little place and wanted it to have some Christmas cheer. Well, Christmas cheer isn't cheap. My mom even let us have one of her smaller trees, and the decorations from Target were almost $250. I payed for most of it with gift cards from our wedding, but Brennan didn't like that, and wanted me to take it back. We compromised, and I took half of it back, which I was bummed about, but really not too bummed because I'm so happy I married someone who is smart with money.

6-Wish people GOOD birthday wishes.
This one is funny because it's something that has always been important to me and when I learned it was also so important to him I loved him even more. He is so against only saying "happy birthday" on someone's birthday. If you know the person well enough to know their birth date, you can write something a little more creative than happy birthday. And those birthday wishes are the ones that really make someone's day. My friend the other week told me that Brennan sent her the nicest birthday message and I really loved that.

7-Get off your phone.
I love my phone. Not even as close to as much as I love Brennan, but I enjoy social media, unfortunately. Brennan is much less into it (another reason I admire him so much). He has taught me to get off my phone and live in the moment. That you can make every minute memorable, but you probably won't remember what you read on your phone a week from now.

8- Exercise, but eat treats too.
Brennan has such a happy medium when it comes to this. He rarely misses a day at the gym, but if he wants a cookie sundae from Chick-Fil-A on the weekend, he will eat it, and if drinking Coke makes him happy, why stop? He's definitely taught me that life is too short, and to eat the dang cookie sundae.

9-Family is everything.
Sometimes he texts his mom goodnight. It melts my heart. And if he has a day off and I have to work, you better believe he is spending the whole day with his family. I love this about him.

10- Pray together. On our knees.
We have never not prayed on our knees. Brennan always makes sure of it. He is much better at praying than me, but somehow I always say it? He probably thinks I need the practice.



10 lessons and 10 moments when I realized I love this boy even more than I did before.

Happy Birthday, handsome.