Happy Birthday, Shaun

Yesterday we celebrated Shaun's 30-something birthday. It used to be much more fun to celebrate before he became a tax preparer, since its a given April 15th is going to be a busy tax day, but we are learning to adjust.

I made breakfast and he and the girls opened his present, then we met up again for lunch then we picked him up from work and went out to eat at 9:00 pm, celebrating his birthday and the end of tax season for another year.

I'm so thankful for the gift this man is to our family. One of the things I admire most about him is his character. Often, I think, the deeper you dig into a person, the more faults and flaws you find. The opposite is true with Shaun. It takes time, but the more you know about him, the more treasure you find. He strives for excellence in all that he does and lives his life for his God and for his family, not for show.

He is a patient, devoted husband and a loving, tender daddy. He is a man's man, but we know him best as the one who likes lots of hugs and is willing to have barrettes put in his hair. The one who the girls always cry out for when they are hurt, the one who cannot say no to Avery when she climbs on his lap with a story, or to Amanda when she takes off his sandals and drags him into the ocean to jump the waves with her.

We love you Shaun, Daddy. You mean the world to us.