Twenty-eight years ago today, a fat little baby boy was born three weeks late, tipping the scales at 10 pounds and change. That little guy has grown up now (although for most of his life, it would appear he has looked exactly the same as he does now, just in a different-sized container) to become pretty much the coolest guy that I know.
I guess the deal is I’m supposed to give you all 28 reasons why I love this fella. Well, I’m not going to because that would be conformity, and that’s just not my style. But I will tell you a few really good reasons why I think my husband is the best.
Papa Bear loves people. Papa Bear sincerely loves people. I know it’s kind of the “cool” thing these days to be aloof and not let people know how you feel every second. Not so for PB. I love listening to him and his friends talk because heis always full of all sorts of praise for people and he doesn’t really care if they know it. As a result, people find it a lot easier to be themselves around him.
Papa Bear is loyal. This is on my list of Top 3 Favorite character traits. Loyalty is huge for me. To his friends, you can all rest assured that PB will never say a bad word about you behind your back. He is not buddy-buddy with you one day and then talking trash to everyone else when you’re not around the next. He is unflinchingly loyal to the people he cares about… and as mentioned before, that’s a lot of people!
Papa Bear is selfless. The thing about PB is that he always considers the needs of others before himself. Case in point: We went shopping for his birthday the other day and I saw a sweater that I really liked. I had to talk him out of using the birthday money he was given to buy me a sweater. If anybody needs help, and PB is able, he will do it.
Papa Bear is the genuine article. Yeah, this is kind of related to the above. Sincerity is probably one of my other Top 3 Favorite Character Traits, and PB has got it. He is full of compliments for people and is just dying every day to hand them out. Luckily for me, he spends most of his spare time with me, and I know he’s sincere when he comes home from work and tells me how beautiful I am. I know that when he says he loves me, he means it. You never have to wonder if he is being ingenuine. He’s not.
Papa Bear lets me be me. One of my favorite quotes is by President Gordon B. Hinckley’s wife, Marjorie. She says about her husband, “He always let me do my own thing. He never insisted that I do anything his way, or any way, for that matter. From the very beginning he gave me space and let me fly.” PB might have been taking husband lessons from the prophet at one point, because this describes him perfectly. I’m spontaneous. I get crazy ideas that I can’t let go. And he is good to just roll with it. He’s never tried to make me do or be anything I didn’t want to do or be.
Papa Bear is funny. His jokes are sometimes inappropriate, sometimes given at the wrong time, but usually funny. Even the ones that aren’t are just silly little PB-isms. He can impersonate just about anybody’s voice, and he knows by heart every funny line he’s heard in movies and TV shows since he was born. There’s never really a dull moment with PB. And he makes me feel like I’m pretty funny too, which I like. :)
Happy birthday, man. You’re pretty cool and I love you!
I am still in love with the fact that you two got married. Steve, you are awesome. I hope you have a very happy birthday!
This sort of behavior is what makes me love you as much as I do and why you’re listed as “best wife evarrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!” in my contacts list. I love you beez. Not because of praise giving but because you make me feel like I’m worth something better than anyone else can. (insert “I love you face” emoticon here.)
Happy birthday! And that is a way cute family picture at the end! I have been meaning to have you come over again, but I’m a slacker. I do have good intentions though! We will hang another play date soon, since your baby is old enough to enjoy them haha! At least the moms can right?
Happy Birthday Steve! Yesterday…
Oh steeeeeeeeeeeeve. He is good. I like him. I like you. I like the Stokers. I like that one of those pictures looks like you’re smelling his armpit. I like that Steve sometimes wants to hang out with me and you. I like that he is funny. I’m sad I missed his birthday. The end.