Happy Birthday Honey!

So today is my wonderful husband's 50th birthday. I thought I'd take this opportunity to tell you all a little bit about Honey.

He believes in living a life with a purpose. Treating others with the respect you would expect them to show you. While not labeling himself a "Christian" he does believe there is a force, greater than us out there in the universe. He has very strong political opinions and is intolerant of arrogance and ignorance. He is open minded when it comes to other peoples beliefs and life choices. Treating each person as an individual rather than lumping them in to some group. He is always open to listening to what others have to say. He is fiercely loyal and protective of those he loves and while he does not show emotions easily ~ he is easily moved by them. He is an amazing father, husband, friend and human being. I adore him with every fiber of my being and trust him beyond measure.

He was born May 29th, 1961 in Caracas Venezuela. His mother is from Germany and his father, an American. When he was 3 or 4 his family moved to the Bahamas where they lived until he was 9. From there they came to the United States, living first in New Mexico and Houston before settling in Ft. Lauderdale Florida.

In high school Richard was a member of ROTC ~ and a handsome member at that. Richard went on to attend several colleges and finally settled on a career in computer programming.

To the outside observer, Richard seems quiet, almost withdrawn. To those that know him though he is quite different. He is loyal and loving with a very unique sense of humor. He is unbelievably brilliant and at the same time very down to earth.

He's gone through so many looks just in the time that I've know him ~ and I've loved them all.

His greatest achievement in life I believe is being an amazing father. Now, he didn't come into fatherhood easily. Poor guy grew up an only child and was never really around children only to find himself an instant father (at 25) to a very precocious 7 year old.

It was pretty rough on all of us for a while but happily we all survived and now with Nate and Julz he is much more mellow and self confident in his role as "Dad." Although he has called Jen on occasion to apologize for how tough he was on her and to tell her that he realizes she was a dream child compared to what he deals with now! He loves babies ~ and his very low tone seems to agree with them.

He's a pretty darn good husband too. He tolerates me and all my craziness as well as my crazy friends and family. Secretly I think he loves the insanity that is me!
Being a software engineer he's hardly what I'd call outgoing, which is why it's so funny that my friends call him "Honey." I have to tell you though, he loves it! It all started when I worked at the YMCA in Raleigh. I went into work before Richard and he would come in a bit later to drop the kids off for preschool there. He would always come into the office to give me a kiss goodbye before heading off to work himself. I had been calling him "Honey" for years (he calls me "Love!") and I'd always say "Bye Honey." Then my friend Donna started saying "Bye Honey" to him when he left and has referred to him as Honey ever since. It spread and my best friend Mary Ann (my other honey) also calls him Honey. And he really is a "honey" of a guy!

Several other things about him ~ he LOVES animals and more importantly, animals love him. The man has never met an animal that didn't attach themselves to him. We even had a bit of an incident with a parrot called Sugar Lips that jumped on his shoulder and we couldn't get her off him. Even the owner had a tough time getting his bird back.

He also loves music and plays the guitar quite well, although not often enough. His taste in music is extremely eclectic ~ you never know what he will be listening to. Sadly for me, he HATES musicals.

His newest role as "Grampy" is one he adores. He is not the kind to run and pick Charlie up right away (that would be me!). It's the times, without all the craziness when he can just sit and hold her and talk to her while she looks up adoringly, that he cherishes.

This is definitely the man I want to spend the rest of my life with ~ through sickness and in health; for richer for poorer; till death do us part!

I Love You Honey. Happy Birthday!