Mike!

Today is Mike's birthday! He kind of gets the shaft when it comes to this blog. It has become my online journal and tends to focus mostly on the girls and me. I actually do this intentionally as I try to respect his privacy. He does have full access to the blog and will occasionally write or comment as many of you know but he doesn't seem to feel the need to write like I do. I could sit here today and write about what a hard day today was last year or even how we're struggling with our grief today but instead I think that I'll share some of the reasons that the girls and I think that he is fabulous.

Here in the Lucas household we haven't bought a loaf of bread since January. Why? Because my amazing husband jumped on the idea of trying a little bit harder (our new year's resolution) and started baking it. No, he doesn't use a bread maker. He prefers to make a few loaves at a time so that we always have bread when we need it. He has even started making his own 'starter' and makes sour dough. He also makes sourdough pancakes. I know that they don't sound very good but they are actually delicious! He also makes pizza from scratch almost every weekend. : )

Mike is also famous in our family for eating or at least trying just about anything. Remember that old commercial about Mikey? Well that's our Mike! He hates food going to waste.

As a father, Mike spends more time playing with his girls than many men I know. He loves all of the imaginative play and while he does try to keep some of his maculinity, "How about I be a prince?", he will still play the princess when his girls insist.

When Mike found out that we were expecting a girl during our second pregnancy he cried. Not because he wanted a boy, but because he was so thrilled that Calla would get to grow up with a sister. In fact, Mike has never bought into the idea of wanting a boy. He considers each one of our girls a blessing. Wanting a boy has had nothing to do with us having 4 children. Loving family live remains the only reason.

Mike is a brilliant problem solver and an amazingly patient husband and father. He works hard so that I can stay at home and continue to raise our daughters. He never complains about the food that I cook or the toys on the floor. He is trust worthy and unbelievably loyal. He can also be very silly, a side that not many people get to see unless he is with the girls. He makes us laugh pretty much every day. He is gentle and compassionate, kind and loving. We think that he's the best!

Happy Birthday Mike!

Love to you all,

Kristen