Nineteen Reasons

1. You know about Clinton and Stacy and you understand why they are important to me.


2. You never say "Do you really think you should be eating that?"


3. You know how to do cool guy stuff: like whistling really loud with your fingers and chopping firewood.


4. You love your parents.


5. You love my parents.


6. Your laughter is rich and sweet, like a sugar-butter mixture boiling thick on the stove.


7. You are easy to please: brownies, kissing, football.


8. You know a lot, but you only tell a little.


9. You keep money in the bank and oil in the car.


10. You are generous.


11. You make chocolate-chip pancakes every Saturday.


12. You think I am funny and you like my hair.


13. You are adored by our daughter.


14. You are emulated by our sons.


15. You buy good snacks at the movies.


16. You pray and go to church and build Pinewood Derby cars.


17. You look really good in bike shorts.


18. You do your own ironing.


19. You know all my secrets and keep them.

Nineteen years. An eternity. A blink of an eye. I've loved it all. Thanks, Babe.