BREEZY FIELDS

"Baby Ellie" as all her sweet little cousins (most of them younger) call her, turned 6 this year on Valentine's Day. I can't believe it. I have a tall gangly girl with three loose teeth and no more baby fat, except maybe in those sweet, edible cheeks. Ellie's birthday is always an emotional time for me. It is a time for assessments in school, a time for recognizing where Ellyn is, developmentally. We meet every year, the week before her birthday. It is an exact age very much in the forefront of my thoughts and it seems to me that I look around and every little kid I see is Ellyn's same age. On the one hand it is difficult for me to see where Ellyn should have been. There are those sad "what if" moments. I see what Ellyn's life could have been, how carefree and independent my six year old daughter would be. I wonder what sort of interests she would have had, what it would be like to have an energetic little kindergartner sprinting off the...

1. I love his sense of humor. It is dry, I still sometimes don't catch it all. He makes me laugh all the time. 2. I love that his fingernails are ALWAYS short. There are benefits to nail biting. 3. I love that he has interests that he is passionate about. 4. I love his intelligence. He is always learning something. 5. I love that he is an intuitive cook. 6. I love that he is a really good driver. 7. I love that he is tall and buff. 8. I love that he is brave. I always feel safe and protected. 9. I love that he is a good leader. 10. I love that he is moral. 11. I love that he likes to hang out with me over anything and anybody else. 12. I love that he trained for the marathon with me. 13. I love that when he is deployed he makes a greater effort than any other husband I have ever heard of to call me and email me. 14. I love that he loves to read. 15. I love that he loves to travel. 16. I love that he makes the bed. 17. I love that he is a good kisser. 18. I love that he loves to ...