Craig Turns 50!
I’ve started this birthday post to Craig about five times and every single time it felt like it wasn’t really about him.
It was about how he made me feel important and not alone one night when we were at an event together, but not together. It was about how I felt when he would show up at the high school to take me to lunch when we weren’t even dating yet. How he turned down my invitation to prom so that he could ask me himself, making it more special. How he took care of my dad from the day he became ill to twenty years later when he took his last breath. How when they carried my dad away, he shielded my face because he knew that it would ruin me to see it. How he cried every single time one of his children were born and he still tears up when they make him proud as adults.
I could sit here and tell you how amazing Craig is but let’s face it, I’m pretty sure I annoy the hell out of everyone, except our moms, with my almost weekly posts of, “Look what Craig did for me now!”.
I get it y’all, he is annoyingly perfect. He cooks, he grocery shops, he makes me margaritas, he hangs my hammock up when it looks like it’s going to be a nice day. He tells me I deserve a break (when I probably really don’t). He puts up with my hour long baths which leaves him with zero hot water. He allows my chicken obsession to be out of hand. He understands that Lorrie’s place in the bed is in between us with her head on the pillow and her feet digging into his back. He brings me flowers from the grocery store because they make me smile. He knows when I’ve had a shit day and waits for me to go with him to feed cows because that always makes it better. He sends Bible verses when I send inappropriate songs. He loves our children unconditionally and will drop everything to be there for them even if it's inconvenient for him. He works unbelievable hard for everyone putting himself last.
Like I said, annoyingly perfect.
So let me make it better for y’all, here on his 50th birthday let me tell you what’s annoying about him.
He’s constantly on his phone, including taking business calls while I was in active labor. He watches tv with the volume obnoxiously loud whilst watching a video on his phone at the same level. I can walk back and forth in front of him three times struggling with something heavy and he’ll only notice on the last trip. He can’t spell for crap and his hearing is even worse. He once left a pair of wet shorts and underwear from wade fishing on the driveway for a really long time. (No, I didn’t pick them up because they weren’t mine, honestly I think my mom threw them away when she came to visit).
I’m sure there’s more but I actually had to think really hard to come up with just those annoying habits because he’s just a really good guy.
The Good Ones lyrics state it best: “Anybody can be good once, but he’s good all the time.” He’s the most loving, caring, patient, considerate, big hearted, good at everything guy who gives more than he gets and today he turns 50! I only hope that I make him feel as special and loved as he does for every other person every single day.
He’s my best friend in the whole world and he deserves to take a break on his 50th birthday but he’ll probably be out playing with cows instead and mending fences instead.
Craig Kempken, I’m so very thankful that God made you! Happy Birthday Boo, I love you mo!