Him, 30 years

This past weekend was Nicholas' thirtieth birthday! It feels a little surreal to me that we've celebrated more than a decade of birthdays together. We had a mellow celebration weekend for him. Saturday, we stayed at home, with the exception of a short walk outside in the falling snow(!) for me. We had sausage, eggs, and toast for breakfast, and I made us some special coffee and baked a butterscotch cake. Cooper and Nicholas played together a lot, all day long. We ate leftover soup for lunch, and then lasagna soup for supper (so yummy)! Cooper didn't have great naps, but that did mean he and his daddy got a lot of quality time together.

On Sunday, Nicholas' actual birthday, his family came over for cake and Katelyn and I stopped by a local coffee shop for coffee for everyone. Cooper took a few really good naps, and we watched basketball on TV, Nicholas opened his gifts, and we just visited. And it was lovely.

I took lots of (low-light, blurry) photos of my boys over the weekend. But I love the photos and the way they capture their love for each other. The blurry, happy photos sometimes capture life the most accurately, I think.

Each year, around this time, I write him a love letter. If you're feeling reminiscent (as I always am), here are the links to previous birthday posts:

25 years | 26 years | 27 years | 28 years | 29 years

To my husband,

What a year we've spent together. We swapped Texas for Indiana. We had our sweet baby boy. You were the best labor partner, and so incredibly supportive and encouraging. And at the end of labor, you caught Cooper! And you still catch my heart with your soft, genuine smiles, and warm hugs.

We've transitioned to completely different routines and adapted to so much life change. You're wearing your beard a bit shorter now, and dressed in business casual more often for work.

I couldn't be more proud of you that you have a job that you enjoy and feel excited about, at that. And I am so grateful that your work (and extra long commute) allows me to stay home with Cooper.

Getting to witness you in fatherhood is so precious to me: holding Cooper, carrying him, snuggling him, laughing with him, reading to him, and asking him for kisses (he usually obliges). The way that Cooper laughs with abandon when he plays with you is heart-melting. Every weeknight, when I open the front door as you walk up, Cooper kicks wildly and makes the happiest noises. You are an incredible dad.

I love how you change your phone background to your latest favorite photos of Cooper.

I love how you hold Cooper at church, and offer to walk around with him in the lobby, if need be.

I love how you keep the baby monitor on your nightstand, so you can look at Cooper, "just to see what he's doing." (usually something adorable, since he just started to prefer sleeping on his tummy).

I've seen your love for me grow in the last year, as you care for me, both as a wife and mother to our son.

I love how often you text me during the day, asking how we are. And how we always text about your morning coffee.

I love how you prefer my home-cooked meals, and say so often.

I love the time and intention you put into making decisions for home purchases, wanting to steward our money well and also create a home that is welcoming and relaxing to be in.

I love how we start each day by getting up together.

I love how we watch an episode of a vlog together every night before falling asleep next to each other.

I love how you're not bashful about your love for anything or anyone you love.

We spent less of this year aching for change and much more of it settling in. I'm excited to share a new decade with you, and to get to know your heart even more. I can't wait to dream with you for my whole life.

I love you.

I'm so thankful for our life together and that God chose you to lead and love our family.

Happy thirtieth birthday, sweetheart.