You're in my Soul

My best friend was born on this day, and the world has never been the same since. She is quite simply the best person and the most beautiful soul I have ever or will ever know. She is funny and charming, she lights up a room when she enters and leaves an indelible impression on all who encounter her. Her beauty is so much more than skin deep, so much more than her beautiful blue eyes that penetrate your soul or her magical smile that warms your insides when it focuses on you. The love she has for life and the energy she creates is palpable and contagious. When you are in her presence you can’t help but feel glad to be alive. It was said that Helen of Troy had a face that launched a thousand ships. Julie Kay has a face that brought those ships home again, I know that no matter what the day holds in store for me, that I will return home in the afternoon or evening to the sweetest woman in this world and nothing can stop me from the feeling I get when I walk in the door and see the one person that has a hold on me like no other.

In the nearly 18 years that I have had the pleasure of knowing her, my life has changed immeasurably for the better. When I used to dream about the right girl for me, there were two things that stood out on my wish list. She would have to be someone with whom I could just hang out and enjoy doing absolutely nothing with except for simply enjoying each other’s company. And she would have to be someone who would be a loving, committed, dedicated, and passionate mother to our children that we would one day bring into this world and raise. I hit the jackpot on both counts. Jules is the best mother I can imagine, and having an incredible mom myself the standards have been set quite high in that regard. There is nobody I know other than my own mother, who is as devoted to the happiness of her children, to the well-being of her family. She is the heart and soul of our family, the engine that drives us, the shoulder we lean on when we are down, and the one we want to share our triumphs with because we know that she will always be genuinely excited for us, and the person that will be in our corner come good times or bad, no matter what the rest of the world thinks of us or how it treats us. If that were the extent of it then it would be enough, but Julie is my partner as well.

There is nobody I would rather spend time with, doing anything and everything or nothing at all. Before the kids were born, many moons ago, we would sleep in until noon on Sundays, laze around and watch TV, take the dog down to the park, and then take an afternoon nap a few hours later. Having kids forced a change in those habits, but one thing that remains the same is our love for being around each other. Whether it be sitting out back plotting our future and solving the problems of the world, watching our Sunday morning news show together and calling out the shortcomings of the politicians and media who cover them, pedaling away on the exercise bikes at the gym lost in conversation, or just hanging around in the family room with the kids, cracking jokes and laughing and just being alive, our time together is a gift from above and something that I truly cherish.

So Happy Birthday my love, I love you with all my heart and all my soul, and more and more every day. I was going to get you a cheesy card that someone else created, but I thought this would be more from the heart. Besides, you know how I am, I would have got you the same card as before because it made me chuckle and I didn’t remember that I had got you the card a year ago, you know the one, with the nerdy guy on the front that I’ve given to you at least twice now. And nobody else can sum up best how I feel about you because nobody else knows you and loves you and appreciates you the way that I do. I am forever yours, faithful, loyal, and grateful for the love we share for each other, for our family, and for the people in our lives. You and I have a love that is as timeless and ancient as that between Aida and Radames, one that takes precedence over anything else that may be happening in the world around us. To borrow from the Rod Stewart song, you are my lover, you’re my best friend, you’re in my soul. Here’s to a great birthday for my best friend, and to many more over the course of this wonderful journey through life that we are on together. I love you baby, now and forever!

Mark