Happy Birthday Vicki

I won't be talking about how old she is today, cause that's just plain stupid. I mean stupid beyond even most husbands stupid. So we'll just leave it at that.

It took me a long time to understand how important the role of a husband is to a marriage and to the husband himself. If you are making the effort day in and day out to be a good mate it makes all the difference in the world. Sure, you're going to mess up. That's natural, we're guys and we're wired that way. The point is: are you doing your level best on a consistent basis to be a good partner or maybe even a great partner?

If you can answer the above question in the affirmative, then you are most likely happily married.

So on the day of my wife's birthday I want to congratulate the millions of husbands out there that feel as I do. That life isn't complete without the companionship and love of your spouse. That living together with one person for years on end is actually fun. (If you like the person) And that having a good wife and a good marriage completes you.

Each year I spend whatever time it takes to find a card that says what I'm feeling. This year I found one that was succinct and to the point.


It simply said: "I love you like everything, because you are."


Happy Birthday Baby






The Daily Husband

Knowing When You're Blessed

I have refrained from discussing this year's birthday on my blogs, but I am 60 years old today. It doesn't seem like it's been sixty years since my birth. So much for my time sense, huh?

Vicki and I have planned a short trip up into the mountains for our birthdays, since hers is 5 days later than mine. For 5 days every year I hear about how I'm three whole years older than her. I never tire of the taunts and ribs. The trip was to be our presents to ourselves and nothing else was planned; or so I thought.

We spent this last weekend just chilling. Nothing special going on and looking forward to a really lazy weekend.

In the middle of Sunday morning Vicki announced she needed to go to the store later that day and run some errands. What I didn't know was that she had been scheming and planning for over two weeks to surprise me.

A couple of hours after she left there was a knock on our front door and there stood a bunch of our grandkids. I invited them in and then the rest of the crowd showed up. We have 5 kids and 13 grandkids so we hardly ever see them all together cause they are spread out throughout the country. The group that came on Sunday was comprised of the local ones along with Vicki's parents and some friends of my oldest daughter.

It was a great surprise and warmed my heart in that:

a) My wife had thought to do this and planned it all
b) My kids and grandkids had taken time out of their weekend to come see me
c) They all understood how this was the absolute best gift a guy turning 60 could get

We had a great time, I hung out with some of the grandkids and we terrorized our Adult neighborhood a bit. The group was convivial and teased me greatly about my advanced age. I received a pin to wear that lights up and an old geezer's hat. I immediately donned the aforementioned chapeau and wore it in the fashion of Art Carney's character "Norton" in the Honeymooners. Don't worry if you're too young to remember this famous show starring Jackie Gleason; you're young baby, enjoy it.

For those mature enough to understand the reference you should be able to picture me as the height of fashion and studliness in the hat.

Here's a portion of the group that showed up. This is as many as I could get to sit still for a picture. The others not seen were adults, most specifically my wife (who told me when I asked her to sit for the picture, "You see me every day."

I feel truly blessed to have family and friends who'll come celebrate my continued aging with me on a warm Sunday afternoon in Phoenix. Thanks everyone for coming.

Here's their picture....



I might be 60 today, but at least I know I'm blessed.

The Daily Husband

Second Fiddle

The are many names for it. Playing second fiddle, taking a backseat, and being supportive are just a few. What these all have in common is that they are the backbone to a good marriage. Listen up husbands, this could help you.

No matter what you do for a living, from Astronaut to Zoologist, you are always a husband first in your wife's mind. And in order to be a really first class husband, you have to understand the importance of being second.

Women in general and your wife specifically are much more important to your family and the world than you are. Name one man who can give birth. Can't can you? (and please don't use that lameass chick that had an operation and then got pregnant) But I bet you can name a woman who just had 8 children, huh?

So, on the biological level alone, your wife is wwwwaaaaaayyyyy more important than you are. Sure you had to be there for conception, but after that, not so much. Think about how many millions upon millions of our kids are currently growing up in single parent households. I don't believe it's as good as having two parents for them, but they are doing it.

Anyway......not to get too deep in this, cause it's really a simple premise.

A good husband knows when to take a backseat to his wife. Knows when to be the Jesse James to his Sandra Bullock, the Prince Phillip to his Queen Elizabeth and the Stedman to his Oprah. It really is all about them. Get used to it. Embrace it and enjoy it.

Women make the world go round guys. Think how much stupid stuff you did to impress girls.

So now, when you're married, why not do the smart thing to impress the most important girl in your life? Give in to the truth and let her know how much she means to you. Want an easy way to show that feeling? Make sure you're always playing backup to the lead singer in your relationship. And make sure she knows it.

It ain't all that hard and it makes a marriage fun. Like the commercial says: Just Do It!

The Daily Husband