43 years ago...

Fourty three years ago a little boy was born...

He had a mommy who loved him...

And a daddy who adored him...

And before too long he had a brother he liked to cart around in a cage...

He loved the beach...

And fishing...

And bagpipes (which he still loves to this day...)

And he was as blond as blond gets with big blue eyes...

And then he grew up into a hottie patootie...and even modeled for a little bit...

But he loved boy scouts and all that goes with it more...

And so one day he joined the army...

And a lot of years went by and he had three beautiful kids and then we met...and a few more years went by...and then we got married...

and he became the father of my child...

And today, April 8, 2011 on his 43rd birthday he's donning his uniform...strapping on his weapon...heading to work in the unforgiving Afghan desert...where he plays with turtles...  :) ...next to machine gun thingies and razor wire and porta potties...

But on his birthday I can't help but wish I had a better glimpse of what the man (who plays with turtles) dreamed when he looked like this...

Now his little girls are wishing him a happy birthday...

And singing for him...

And we just hope he knows how much we love him and miss him and how proud we are of him.

Happy Birthday John!