Celebrating Joe :)

Today is my sweetheart's birthday.  Today he turns 48.  Happy Happy Birthday Joe!  The above picture is one of him jumping for joy (beside Sammie who had landed) in celebration of the sun rising on Amelia Island.  One of the things I love most about Joe is his playfulness.  We met over 23 years ago when I got my first full time job at the Oasis Car Wash in Nacogdoches, TX.  He was the manager of the Detail center (which was his full-time job as he put himself through college).  He jokes that yes he was my boss for a year - a long time ago - and then we got married!  When we met we were both dating other people and so we were just friends.  I thought he was a nice guy (still do) and he was cute.  Two days after I started working with him his current girlfriend showed up, got hired which was a ton of fun since she didn't like me and told Joe on many occasions that he wasn't allowed to talk to me.  We laugh about this now as one of the many reasons I believe in past lives since it was very apparent that she knew something was between us long before we did!  We all worked together for a year and I left to pursue other work interests more related to my degree.  Nacogdoches was a small town so we would see each other around town and say hello.  Four years later I was invited to a mutual friend's wedding and reception.  Vance had tracked my roommate and I down personally to hand us our invite since we had recently moved.  On the day of the wedding we remembered the invite (yes we were young and distracted) and my first thought was "I have nothing to wear!"  Well, we figured it out and my friend and I cute-i-fied (I know it's not a word but that was what we were doing) ourselves and arrived a little late to the wedding.  After a beautiful ceremony it was time for the reception.  On the way out of the church I saw Joe and my ex-boss and went to say hello, looking both ways for Joe's girlfriend before I approached.  I found out pretty quickly that they were no longer dating (still talking though) as she had moved to Houston.  Well wasn't that interesting - I wasn't dating anyone at the time either.  I remember there was a huge thunderstorm that night.  It blew in after everyone arrived at the venue and had just gotten settled - the lights went out.  Looking back I'm sure this caused lots of distress for the bride and her big day.  For us it was pure romance!  We talked for hours and reconnected.  We officially started dating in October 1993 and we got engaged New Year's Day of 1994.  I am one lucky girl.  For those of you who don't know Joe he is funny.  He loves to laugh and tell jokes.  He also loves to Dance.  You can find him at the YMCA most Tues/Thursday nights and sometimes Sat/Sun dancing with the Zumba class. He is an incredibly talented artist who can draw and/or paint like a master. 

Joe at the LionHeart Theatre posing with the set he painted

And yes, he's brilliant.  He's a scientist - Senior Field Service Engineer who's day job includes installing, teaching people how to use and repairing numerous instruments like DNA/RNA sequencers (the who done it machine on CSI Miami).  Joe's an athlete who completed the Houston Marathon for his 40th birthday and helped me train and competed with me for my first triathlon for my 40th birthday.  

Joe at Dragon Con!

Joe and I at a concert in the park in Duluth this summer :)

All dressed up for an 80's party!

Ready for Dragon Con 2013!

He is a fun and loving dad who tells way better bedtime stories than me.  I could go on and on!  I know, enough already. 

I should add that no, he is not perfect (and for sure I'm not)   but he is willing to work on himself and our marriage and he strives to be a great dad to our girls.  

I just wanted to share with you today a little bit about this amazing man who is my partner, my husband, my friend, my lover and my soul mate.  I am grateful that he was born and I'm so lucky that I can call him mine.

Happy Happy Birthday Joe,

Christine

 

Posing in the kitchen & yes he cooks too!