Matti

I'm not sure when it started, but I've been calling Matt "Matti" for several years. Probably since we were dating. I'm sure that when we were dating, he was more forgiving in the "oogly-googly" areas. I don't think I could get away with it if I'd started it now. But he's used to it now, so I still call him Matti.

Today is Matt's birthday. He's 25 today! Poor kid turned 18 the day after September 11th. It wasn't a very exciting birthday, to say the least. He was laughing last night with my dad about, "Woohoo! Cheaper car insurance now!" Haha, well, it's not quite the 18 or 21 milestone, but it's still exciting. :)

Matt's a fantastic father and a caring person. He's just enough into cleanliness that he keeps me from dissolving into primordial mud, but he's not into crazy kinds of clean, so I don't kill him. He's an amazing labor partner. I didn't need anyone else. Ladies, this guy is fantastic! Somewhere in the back of his mind he may have wished he was in the waiting room like it was 1952, but he wasn't.

He's walked through a lot of stuff. And in a short time frame too. We've been married for 3 years. We've had two children. We've done our senior year of college. We've graduated together. We've moved across the world. We've lived with family. We've lived on "missionary support" for 2+ years. We've never gone hungry. We've never had to make detrimental choices because of our finances.


He's a really strong man, in more way than one.

Although he is handy for opening stubborn jars.

He's often more careful than I am.

As in, this week I let Oceana cut paper. Matt wouldn't have ever let her have scissors, and now since I have she's shredded Matt's Father's Day card into a dozen pieces.

Grr.

He's lost about 35 pounds over the last year and a half. Obviously he has more willpower than me.

Well, except when we're arguing, then we're pretty well even.

Stubbbbborn.

And he'll track down the toddler to wipe her nose at church.

Doesn't she look thrilled?