A top-twelve list....

Our 12th wedding anniversary was a couple weeks ago! yahoo! we made it to 12 years!! We celebrated by going to a new location, but very beloved restaurant-Maggianos. We always...always get the maggiano's salad and split it, then I get the ravioli al forno and he gets joey d. It's heaven. And we conclude our love fest with Tirimisu. It was a great night to get away, just the two of us for a wonderful meal and conversation. With that in mind, here are 12 things I LOVE about Ryan...(I know...sappy..)

1) I have a disc of love songs he's written and recorded for me. I love his music.
2) I love that not a day goes by when I don't hear a pick up line from him.
3) I love that when he drives at night, he has to have the windows down. It reminds him of Disneyland rides at night.
4) I love that I can hear him coming home from about 100 yards at least away because his music is so loud in his car.
5) I love his patience with the kids and me
6) His grace towards me and my personal journey these past 5 years has been a model to me of Christ's love towards us and continues to inform how I relate to the kids, him, me and others around me in life
7) I love that he has given me permission this semester to settle into our new life post biola, and just to rest.
8) I love that he is a man...and that he wants to be bear gryls. And indeed, I do think, if a snake came our way, or if we needed to make shelter in the middle of the rain forest, he'd snap into man/bear mode and save the day. ; )
9) I love how he listens to people. (and me...and the kids too)
10) I love that he does the dishes.
11) I love that he doesn't mind that I drink coffee...obsessively.
12) and I love that after 12 years of marriage to my best friend, even when there are moments of frustration, or reconcilliation, I still can't believe how fast the years have gone and can't wait for so many more. I love you, ryan.