Tonight, when we were eating dinner (nothing fancy, just grilled pork loin and mashed potatoes), Preston looked at me and said “Isn’t this a great dinner? What a good day!”

I smiled and agreed, but I was still coming down from a somewhat icky day at work, so I didn’t really mean it as much as he did.

After dinner, we all went for a walk together around the neighborhood.  The temperature was perfect, the sun just setting and everyone happy from a good meal and day. The boys were taking turns walking Daisy and chatting about houses and halloween costume ideas and nothing in particular and Preston looked over at me and said “This is like the best day! Isn’t this a good day, mom?”

That time, I agreed.  And I meant it.

Do you ever look at someone at feel your heart just smile? Fill with pride and overflow into a big smile on your face? More than once today, that happened to me.

My husband is an amazing dad.  Not only that, but he’s amazing with other people’s kids as well. He’s just a damn good man.

This morning my mom and Godmother were going on and on about how awesome Mike is – how he took care of me after my cancer surgeries, how no one ever worries about him “stepping up” to take care of me or the kids.  How he is a good man.

I couldn’t agree more.  My kids absolutely adore him.  He’s always talking to them, teaching them, loving them. He has ways to get them to do things they don’t want to and laugh the whole time. They know about sports and airplanes and bodily functions; they’ve learned love and laughter and responsibility. There’s nothing he wouldn’t do for them.  He’ll sit on the floor building Legos, throw a ball, tickle them until they can’t breathe. They’ll try strange new foods, read new books and jump higher because of him. One day, they will be amazing husbands and fathers because of him.

The three of us couldn’t be luckier to have him and I am thankful every day for him.

Tonight, we went to dinner with our neighbor and his son, Z.  Z is a good kid, but he does have some behavior issues and his parents struggle sometimes (like we all do as parents).  Tonight I watched my husband with Z – he made him laugh, he played tic-tac-toe with him, and got him to eat his dinner.  The whole time I’m looking at them and thinking “This man is an awesome father, and it’s not even his kid!” Everyone parents differently, but the thing I love the most is how Mike knows the best way to get through to kids, no matter who they are.   (He has the same talents with animals, but that’s another story )

My husband is an amazing dad to our boys and I couldn’t be more thankful to have him in my life.

I left Matt’s soccer practice early tonight to go get my haircut (which I’ve been in desperate need for!).  After a frustrating time this morning and then again this evening getting them out of the house and into the car to get someplace ON TIME and not late, I was ready for the alone time.

Tonight was my “long” haircut – which means I’m usually there for a couple of hours because it’s color and cut. My stylist was running late (as usual) so I spent some quality time cleaning out my purse, catching up on Twitter and drinking my Starbucks.

It was almost 10 by the time I got home, and selfishly, I sat down to eat before going up to say goodnight to the boys (mama does enjoy hot food every once in a while you know!)

Matt was just about to get to sleep and Preston was already out.  Talking to Matt and looking at P, I decided to grab my camera.  They aren’t quiet and still often, and now I can look back days years from now and feel the same rush of love as I did tonight.  Man, do I love those boys.

Fourteen years ago, I stood in front of my family, friends and God and promised to love, honor and cherish a fabulous man. 14 years ago.  Gah, we were babies!! {We’ve officially been married longer than my parents’ first marriage!!}

I’m pretty sure I couldn’t have picked a better guy to spend my life with; I know I couldn’t have picked a better man to make babies with – he is a wonderful father.  We’ve had our ups and downs, but we are good.  Solid.  I trusted him with my heart 14 years ago (well, 18, really) and he’s taken good care of it ever since.

With two young kids it becomes easy to forget that we were a couple first and parents second; admittedly neither of us can, nor want to,  remember our lives before the boys.  Yet we still try to make time for us – we go to dinner every once in awhile, we go shopping, we play golf when we can.  One day, when our boys leave us with an empty nest, I’ll be glad to have this man by my side, basking in the silence and warmth of years of memories.

Happy Anniversary, dweeb.