43 Things I Love about My Wife

She turned 43 last week, but I swear when I look at her I still see that 17 year old girl I met on my first day at Atlanta Christian College. In honor of her, I have composed a list of 43 things I love about her. The real chore here was deciding what to leave out! If she lives to be 120, I will still have lots of good stuff that couldn't fit on the list.

In no particular order...

1. Her beautiful brown eyes
2. She still laughs at my jokes
3. She has a great laugh!
4. The way she says "awwww!" when she sees puppies and kittens
5. How natural, and peaceful, and happy she looks when she’s holding a baby
6. She cries at movies, tv shows, and commercials - just like me!
7. Her encouragement when I'm down
8. Her support during the "wilderness years"
9. Her love for the Lord
10. The way she worships the Lord
11. The sound of her voice when she's reading to the boys
12. The smell of her hair when we kiss
13. That she always know where to find stuff when I can’t
14. She's put up with me for 20+ years
15. Her hugs
16. The love she has for our children that is strong and deep, yet tender
17. When she calls me at the office just to tell me something like what we got in the mail or just to say hi
18. That happy and excited "hi" I get – most of the time – when I call home
19. She's a good friend to other people
20. She's a great cook
21. How competitive she is at "Slug Bug/Cruiser Bruiser"
22. All she went through physically to produce those six little babies
23. Her willingness to sacrifice for her family
24. That she doesn't slap me down when I get all egotistical and obnoxious
25. The way she loves my mom and dad
26. That she moved all those times, even though she didn't always want to
27. The way she looks in an old t-shirt and blue jeans
28. When she buys something at a thrift store or yard sale because she thinks I'll like it
29. She makes great coffee
30. She always believed I would be a pastor again some day
31. The work she puts into her flower beds and gardens
32. The way she tears up when we talk about the boys growing up
33. That she love bookstores as much as I do
34. She became an Alabama fan
35. She's beautiful, but she thinks she's not
36. The way her hand fits exactly into mine
37. She always knows when I need a kiss, a break, a nap, or a kick in the butt (and on rare occasions, all four).
38. When we say the same thing at the same time
39. The way she gets excited over little things
40. Her willingness to forgive
41. That she really tries to beat me at Putt-Putt
42. She works harder for less pay than anyone I've ever known
43. The overwhelming feeling I get when I look at her that there is something important and valuable in my life