Dear Matt,

Matt celebrated his 29th birthday on Memorial Day this year. We had a family birthday lunch on Sunday after church at his parents house, but then a party of 30ish of his closest friends all came over to my parents for a holiday cook-out. In honor of this, his last year in his 20's - here is a little list of 29 things I love about Matt:

1. His laugh

2. The way he looks at me

3. His love for "Rod the Pod"

4. His eyes

5. His eyes when he's teared up a little bit, melts me!

6. The way he opens doors for me.

7. His love for his family

8. The way he will tell a joke, and if I don't respond the way he thinks I should, he'll say it again (maybe a little differently) in an attempt to get the response he's looking for!

9. His breakfast routine

10. The way he talks into my belly button as if it is a microphone for Graham.

11. He reads aloud to me

12. He corrects my spelling

13. The way he loves and leads me

14. His love for his work

15. The way he laughs at himself

16. His devotion to others

17. His love for fine food

18. Did I already say his breakfast routine?

19. His love for Blackberry cobbler

20. The way he lives his faith

21. The way he manipulates words...makes new words...just loves words

22. Our "morning hugs"

23. The way he *loves* good fruit

24. His desire to be authentic

25. His love for good typography

26. His gentleness

27. The number of times he washes his hands - he's so clean!

28. The memories we've made so far, the laughs we've had these last two years!

29. His dreams, goals, desires...all the things we look forward to in the years to come! 

I love you so much Matt. I pray that God will prepare us for this next year as we become parents...and that it is as fun as this last year! I look forward to all the years to come!