Karmen is my wife, and today is her birthday. 37 years old. She won’t mind me telling you that. She’s pretty solid. And as I think about her today I am just blown away by her as a person. Not just physically. Of course she is smokin’ hot. But her other side is what I’ve been thinking about more today. Her kind spirit. Her cute little laugh. Her girlness that fills her house full of boys with softness (except when we do stupid boy stuff which draws out her wrath). People love her. Really love her. Our email inbox is filled with probably 30 messages from friends wishing her a great day. One my birthday I got 2. People love her. But I love her most.
I don’t know where I would be without her. Probably bashing through life with razor sharp edges and an ice cold heart would be a good start. Really. I am not a soft person. But because of her, I am reminded that softness is important. I am reminded that I can’t just break problems, I need to actually solve them. I am reminded that I wouldn’t have many friends if it weren’t for her smoothing me out, softening my edges, hiding my pointiness. Sometimes I wonder why she stays with me. I must be because she loves me back.
We will have been married 16 years in May, and wouldn’t trade her or any of those years for anything in this world. It hasn’t always been a cake walk. Sometimes it has been a hot coal walk. But it has been a great walk. She is not afraid of my questions about faith, not afraid of my questions about God, not afraid of my need to take everything apart, and in fact, she has been courageous enough to join me in much of my exploration.
I love her. I am humbled and honored that she chooses to stay with me on this crazy road. Sometimes I know I drive her crazy with the way I am, but she still stays.
Happy Birthday, Love.
9 responses so far ↓
Larry // April 17, 2009 at 15:48
Frances and I think Karmen is pretty neat, too.
societyvs // April 17, 2009 at 15:54
Happy Birthday Karmen – hope this 2009 is a great one for you and your family…and for Doug!
frenchgirl // April 17, 2009 at 18:12
you’re right–she is one cool chick!
TitforTat // April 18, 2009 at 07:32
Happy Birthday…….Same day as my Mom. Many happy returns.
John and Denise
Luke // April 20, 2009 at 12:41
yay for April Burpdays! i haven’t written enough about my better half.. you’ve inspired me to do this… i gotta say that we have to meet up in real time sometime soon.. y’all are just too cool!
freestyleroadtrip // April 21, 2009 at 12:42
Luke. I really think all of us getting together somewhere central this summer would be a great idea. Just a weekend at a hotel where we could eat and talk and watch a movie or two.
Julia // April 22, 2009 at 05:10
Happy Birthday, Karmen!
Hey, freestyleroadtrip, I enjoy reading your site. Would you consider changing the background from black to a different light colour? It is hard for my eyes to read for any good length of time.
I’d really appreciate it!
Julia
freestyleroadtrip // April 22, 2009 at 07:47
Julia. Thanks for checking me out. You are now the second person who has mentioned having trouble reading my blog. I love this format but will have to change it if too many people are having trouble. Thanks for commenting.
societyvs // April 22, 2009 at 08:58
Hey I like the blog change – looks nice – I like white over black for a background