My wife was born twenty-eight years ago yesterday. That was a very good day…for everyone but her mom who had to do the whole birth thing…which is beautiful in retrospect but kind of painful (so I hear) in process.

For the last eleven years and ten months we’ve been a something. For the last eight years and a few months we’ve been even more. For the last seven years we’ve learned how to love each other as we learn to love and lead people. For the last six years and a few months we’ve figured out how to love each other with kids and minivans. For the last nine months we’ve learned how to be partners in leading a movement. For the last five months we’ve discovered a deeper sense of commitment to each other than the previous eleven combine.

All throughout, from when we started dating on Y2K to today she has ever been my friend and partner. She causes me to laugh more than any other person and brings me great joy. But it’s been the last five months that she’s had to give virtually everything…

She’s been a single parent, caring for our two high-energy, amazing kids virtually on her own. Taking them to doctors appointments, scheduling biopsy surgeries, taking them to occupational therapy, play therapy, and school all on her own. She’s been a chauffeur for our whole family, driving me to physical therapy, radiation therapy, appointments with my oncologist, radiologist, naturopath, brain surgeon, and phlebotomist among others. She’s been my nurse, at times giving me regular acupuncture in my feet, giving me shots in my stomach, preparing my food, helping me down the stairs, and helping me figure out my pills. She’s been forced into farming, caring for our fish, our cat, our dog, and our chickens…none of which she truly cares about. She’s endured my moodiness, my varying pain threshold, my sleepiness, my vile body odor, and the random water weight that seems to creep up my face and arm pits (gross right?). She’s endured and supported our family amidst the unknowness of everything–is it benign or cancerous? Is it bad cancer or not-to-bad cancer? Is it in my brain or not? Is it gone or not? Am I dying or not? Will I walk again or not? Is this the new normal or not? She works as a teacher. She works as a creator of community. She works constantly and looks beautiful all throughout!

If you were sitting in Mon Ami (the cafe by our home) where Jess is sitting only three tables away with one of her friends, you’d see me awkwardly tearing up as I think about how blessed I am to be partners with such an amazing woman. I have no idea how long we’ll be blessed to walk this earth together but I can be certain that every moment spent with her is one more than I deserve and I am learning to cherish each and every single experience with the most lovely, beautiful woman I could ask for.

Happy birthday Jess!