Happy Anniversary, Atticus!

(Atticus filling the girls in on the history of Falling Water.)

Tomorrow is the 26th anniversary of my marriage to Atticus. I love this man.

He* is the father of my many children, a teacher, a scholar, a literary critic, a poetry know-it-all (in a good way, Honey), a walking history encyclopedia (he amazes and humbles me ... he should really be the one homeschooling these kids) ...

a romantic, a cook, a bathroom and oven cleaner, a gardener, a reader, a runner, a bringer-of-flowers, a listener, a sympathizer ...

a man with a fierce sense of what is just and right, a faithful man, a kind man, an unselfish man, a great provider (and a man who knows when to provide coffee, chocolate or dry red wine) ...

a maker of scrumptious fudge and Betsy's favorite coconut cream pie and Anne's favorite key lime and Ramona's favorite chocolate cream and the best spaghetti sauce you've ever had ...

a family man, a Yankees fan, a lover of classical music, chant, and opera (who also listens to Stevie Ray Vaughan and Asleep at the Wheel and Smash Mouth and George Thorogood and Warren Zevon) ...

a Civil War encyclopedia (yes, I know I'm repeating the encyclopedia thing ... it's just that, well, he is one) ...

a Catholic man, a praying man, a devoted daddy, a laugh-out-loud witty man, a lifelong, we're-in-this-together-until-we-die-and-even-after-that friend of mine.

He's the quintessential Renaissance man. And, without even knowing he's done it (because he's humble enough that he'd never take credit for any such thing) he has made me a better woman, wife, mother, teacher, thinker and friend.

I love you, Atticus.

Happy 26th Anniversary!

~~~~~

*(Here's a past post with lots of marvelously mushy marriage and Atticus links.)

Heart-shaped bird photo courtesy of Stock.xchng