My love. My husband. My best friend.
What a year this has been.
You traveled the world by plane, tour bus and van.
Played on stages big and small.
I saw you on TV and in a magazine.
Your quiet confidence was never boastful
…except maybe about all the good food you ate on the road.
This year we became parents but not in the way we had expected.
Or planned. But an idea was planted in my heart and it grew.
I strategically brought up the need for foster parents in the US.
I secretly prayed that God would open your heart to this crazy idea.
You jumped in with both feet.
We sat through long, boring classes together.
Homework, physicals, blood tests, home studies.
You painted the bedroom and assembled IKEA furniture with me,
And then let me go hog-wild with the rest of the kids room design.
You were right by my side through every step.
Praying with me, for me, for yourself and for our future kids.
In July I got the phone call that changed everything.
You were in Norway but I knew what you would have said to this one.
The next morning you met your first daughter through Skype.
I watched you fall in love with her, grinning from ear to ear.
It was the first time I had seen her smile and say hi in her first 12 hours.
Three days later we picked you up from the airport.
It was getting late but you wanted to take your little girl to the park.
You pushed her on the swing and chased her through the grass.
As I stood back to observe and take photos, I was witnessing a transformation.
You became a daddy right before my eyes.
In your strong arms she felt safe immediately.
She was stand-offish with some new people but never with you.
You taught her what a father’s love looks like; what Daddy means.
And I fell in love with you all over again.
We taught her how to kiss. It took 2 weeks and several demonstrations.
I’ll never forget when you called me at work at say,
“Guess what I got?”
A kiss! Her first kiss was reserved for her daddy.
I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.
On September 1st we walked into a courthouse carrying our first baby girl.
And walked out without her.
We clung to each other as we went down the steps and crossed the street.
I’m not sure who was holding up who as we tried to hold back the tears a little longer.
Then we cried together.
This past year has been wonderfully difficult and full of joy. A beautiful mess.
You have grown so much as a man.
I am endlessly proud of who you are,
And thankful to call you my husband.
Happy 29th, Jason.
myMCMlife.com 
the two of you are amazing.