Happy Birthday Jennifer

This is a post by Sean, Jen's husband. Although it's a couple days late getting typed, this is a happy birthday message for a wonderful friend, wife and mother. It's hard to know where to start in writing a tribute to someone like her who does so much so often. I'll just start writing and see where it goes I guess.

Jen is a wonderful mother. I think like all women she beats herself up too much over her imperfections and shortcomings, but they are just minor compared to all the good things. She keeps her kids (and husband) fed, washed, wearing clean clothes and combed hair, and eating off clean dishes. Yes the house is often messy, but it is still standing and always looks pretty good considering 5 people live in it, and most of them don't care what it looks like. She keeps the fridge and cupboards full, balances the budget and the bank account and makes sure we don't forget important upcoming dates and events. School preparation, homework time, and replacing too small or too worn out clothes are on the list too. There's always gas in the van, fruit in the fruit bowl, and toilet paper on the roll. She keeps the kids signed up for all their fun and learning: soccer, dance, volleyball camp, swimming lessons and extra-curricular school clubs. And she makes sure they get there and back too. She manages all this around my unpredictable and ever changing schedule, not knowing ahead of time whether I'll be around to help or not.

Even with all this busyness, there is still time to feed and cuddle with Maggie, play games and bake with the kids, read stories and help them out with crafts. Even though she has a lot of other things she wants to get done both for the family and for herself, she has to put most of them on the back burner and sacrifice almost all her time for the family, and doesn't complain about it nearly as often as one might expect. Except about the lack of scrapbooking time- point taken- I will try to get you more of that, :) When I tell her about some strange or disgusting thing I encountered at work in the hospital, she often comments that she could never do my job. Well, I feel the same about hers. I don't know how she holds it together day in and day out as a busy mom, but she does and I love her for it.

Jen is a wonderful friend. She is my closest friend, especially these days when I move around so much and work in so many different places. I know she is a friend to many of you- always up for a talk, willing to abandon her husband (whom she sometimes has sparse alone time with) for a girls night out. She values her friends, and I thank all of you for your support of her as well, especially when I am not able to be around. It's very important to her.

Jen is a wonderful wife. We always enjoy the time we're able to spend alone either at home or on a date. Somehow even after almost 9 years of marriage we manage to laugh and giggle together as much as ever when we get the chance. She is so forgiving of faults and mistakes that even when we've had our rough moments, I've never really worried that she wouldn't forgive or that we wouldn't pull through. She is a wonderful companion and lover. I could brag a lot more about that, but then I'd be in trouble and you probably don't want to hear it anyway- but I have nothing to complain about. When I started in medicine we made a deal that if I had to be married to my job, then we would at least make sure we had a torrid affair together on the side. So far work hasn't found out about us honey.

Jen is a wonderful, beautiful woman. I think sometimes she gets so caught up in roles, responsibilities and expectations from herself and others that she forgets to remember how wonderful she is as a person. She has all the good attributes that make a person devote herself so fully to others in the ways I've described. I think her biggest shortcoming is that she sometimes doesn't appreciate and value herself as much as she should.

Jennifer, I love you and am very blessed to have you as my wife and eternal companion. On days when you are feeling down or overwhelmed I wish there was some way I could show you how great you are and how much I've seen you grow in the years I've known you. You are beautiful, even just before and after having a baby. Keep your chin up and remember all the great things you've done and the people you've touched. Your children love you deeply. Yes they are kids and have a funny way of showing it sometimes. They like to yell, complain and push the boundaries, but they would be devastated without you in their lives. As would I. Keep smiling too. When you are happy it lifts the spirits of everyone in the house and everyone you meet. I hope you had a wonderful birthday and that every new year will be better than the last. I will do everything I can to make that so.

Love your hubby,
Sean.