happy birthday to the real johnny.
I know I joke a lot about Johnny Depp.
And I write about Johnny Unitas a lot.
And Johnny Appleseed. And Johnny Cash.
But the fact is that there is only one Johnny. My Johnny, Mr Brilliant, the father of our two amazing girls.
And today is his birthday. (And Emma’s half-birthday!)
Have I mentioned how lucky I am to be growing old with this man?
I’ve written about him on 37days a few times:
happy birthday, johnny (2011) happy birthday, johnny (2010) mr brilliant is, above all, mr daddyThose are just a few of the stories about him.
In 2010, I posted 54 reasons I love him. I’ve added six more to bring him up to 60, which he turns today:
1. He catches me when I’m falling.
2. He makes me laugh and laugh and laugh and laugh some more.
3. He makes good babies.
4. He is the best daddy in the universe.
5. He cooks.
6. He is curious. Insatiably so.
7. He isn’t content to ask Chef Google for a gingerbread house recipe. No, he calls the White House Chef and actually gets him on the phone.
8. He warms up the car when it’s cold.
9. He is the smartest person I know. Brilliant, even.
10. He runs after the ice cream truck for Tess.
11. He smells fantastic, a magical combination of Fahrenheit and old books.
12. He makes fun of himself.
13. He tapes lit candles to his forehead to make the kids laugh.
14. He goes out in snowstorms to help people who get stuck or who need help shoveling.
15. He runs toward people who need help when other people run away.
16. He thinks I’m beautiful.
17. He sends me flowers wherever I travel.
18. He is okay with the whole Johnny Depp tiny wee obsession.
19. He would be able to keep us alive on a deserted island.
20. He reads the sports pages and physics texts.
21. He takes me to the airport at 5am without complaining.
22. He can’t watch TV shows in which kids get hurt.
23. He holds down the fort.
24. He dresses up like a pirate and leads kids on treasure hunts during birthday parties.
25. He knows.
26. And he loves me anyway.
27. He is slightly crazy. In the best ways possible.
28. He’s cute. And the man sent me leaves to London.
29. He remembers everything he ever reads and can’t remember to pick up cat food at the store. I find this very endearing most of the time.
30. He is loyal to those he loves.
31. He endures my last-minute packing.
32. He writes a blog that makes my head explode.
33. He would do anything for me, Emma, and Tess. And does.
34. He vacuums.
35. He doesn’t suffer fools.
36. He makes lemonade stands and bookshelves for the kids.
37. He is my protector.
38. He bought me the 1930s wedding ring I wanted from Old Man Silverman. Even before he asked me to marry him.
39. He makes me really laugh with his imitations of Ted Knight as Ted Baxter and Bill Clinton as Bill Clinton.
40. He loves Jimmy Rockford and Spongebob.
41. He does science experiments with Emma and Tess and hardly ever causes explosions.
42. He cries when he laughs hard.
43. He and Emma memorized the “Who’s on First” routine when she was little.
44. He wears black jeans, white crisp shirts, and black cowboy boots.
45. He loves kid art.
46. He calls Billy Collins and William Gass and asks if they’ll talk to me.
47. He knows how electricity works.
48. He would give you the shirt off his back if you needed it.
49. He takes Tess to Daisy Scouts and to the Li-bary.
50. He sings the kids to sleep.
51. He reads five books at a time.
52. He won’t sell his red books.
53. He puts candles in everything.
54. He is my best friend.
55. He endures my endless parade of rescue pets.
56. He has the biggest heart I’ve ever seen.
57. He paints my walls, baby. He paints my walls.
58. He is going to be adorable at 80.
59. He is the most complex human I know.
60. He is 60 today, and captures my heart and soul every single day, even the bad ones.
Happy birthday, my Johnny. I can’t imagine life without you, and I hope I never have to.
