Thankful for Matthew Michael

Yep, you guessed it.  I couldn't spotlight my two girlies and forget the heart of our family...Matthew Michael, our dear Dad!  I've saved the best, my first true-love, for last.  We love, love, love our Daddy/Matty for WAY more reasons than just the 10 listed below, but these are a good start.  

10 Reasons We're Thankful for Daddy/Matty:

1.  Matt is a true "Family Man!"  He juggles many important responsibilities like a pro, but his heart is always at home with his girlies.  He loves to spend time with us, play with us, take us on adventures, walk the river trail with us, meet us in the park when he has a tiny break between student teaching and work, and his happiest moments are spent WITH, not away from us.  Mondays were especially long days this semester.  He'd leave long before the girls were up and come home long after they were fast asleep for the night.  He'd get soooo lonesome and sad, worried that Madi would forget who he was.  Sunday mornings he feeds Madi, dresses her for church and plays with the girls in the afternoon while Mommy gets a nap.  He gets a kick out of his wacky women.  Daddy makes everything more fun!  I'm so thankful he enjoys being with us!

2.  Daddy is hilarious!  Matt has a delightful sense of humor and knows how to make us all smile/giggle/laugh our heads off!  He is silly, fun and adventuresome.  He has a carefree, childlike sense about him that is so refreshing--he's not embarrassed in the least to start a cannonball contest at the public pool.  I love how the girls inherited his expressive eyebrows.  When they're having an especially great time, those eyebrows inch up and get crazy happy.  

3.  I am thankful for Matt's HUGE sensitive side.  He is kind, thoughtful, caring and sweet.  Each and every morning, clear back to when we started dating--almost 3 years now--he leaves me a sweet note to remind me I am loved and help me face the day.  His soft, sentimental side melts me.  I can be a little lot sarcastic and mean, but Matt is gentle and helps me be better.  His sweet texts brighten my day.  Matt has been a CHAMP to put up with a wife who is functioning on way to LITTLE sleep and a scary ABUNDANCE of hormones.  I was only  "un-pregnant" for two months of our newlywed life, and have been pregnant or nursing since.  Poor, poor guy! I have not always been myself but Matt continues to be patient and supporting.  OOOOOoooh, I love him. 

4.  Matt is a HARD WORKER!  He is anything but lazy.  He doesn't like to sit still and I can hardly ever coax him into taking a real nap.  He graduates with his secondary ed degree in just a few weeks... YAHOOO!  I am so proud of him for the way he has juggled school and work this semester.  Way to rock the heck out of  these last months, Babers.  YOU DID IT!!!  Time to party.  

5.  Mr. Hough is an excellent teacher.  He learned all his students names in a matter of days and made the trimester fun and meaningful for them.  Matt will have a positive impact on many students through the course of his profession.      

6.  Matt is a people person.  He is an excellent listener and is helpful and kind.  He is skilled at working with difficult people--something I'm sure his job at UPS has helped him perfect.  He is genuine and sincere.  People trust him and confide in him.  

7.  I know this is silly, but I am really thankful for how CLEAN Matt is.  Matt keeps things immaculate.  There is something about working hard for things and then keeping them nice.  He is organized and neat.  He keeps our vehicles sparkly inside and out.  He makes sure to vacuum out the van after any trip and checks on it here and there to see if it needs a deep cleaning after Mom and the girls have been gallivanting  without him.  Matt always wraps his treasured ipod in a protective cloth and can keep a cell phone in mint condition for years (whereas mine will be cracked, dunked, broken and battered within days). 

8.  Matt is a handsome, manly-man and I am wildly attracted to him.  Nuff said.  

9.  Another silly one:  I am thankful that Matt is kind and sweet to the family pup.  Lily, our little chihuahua, was a pre-existing condition and Matt adopted her and loves her like his own.  It takes a tender heart to be sweet to annoying animals.   

10.  I should have started with this one cuz it's probably the most important and remarkable thing about Matt:  Matt has an unshakable testimony that he has earned for himself.  He has an amazing testimony of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  He has a beautiful personal relationship with his Heavenly Father.  His testimony has grown through personal trials and life lessons.  Matt has been through some hard things in his young life, but he is so resilient, tough and strong.  He has no fear of growth or change.  We are both so deeply grateful for the atonement, for the chance to repent and be better each day.  We are so very, very grateful for the gospel and cherish our membership in the church.  We have so very much to be grateful for and have happy, thankful hearts this joyful season.      

Matt is thrifty, nifty, courteous and kind.  He cooks, he cleans, he golfs, he loves sports, he's coordinated and athletic, he's a great driver, he loves his mom, sister and brother.  He is a great son and sibling.  He sings with a country twang or Lionel Richie tone that makes me smile.  I love him so very, very much!     

And now some outtakes: 

Daddy/Matty casually ducks Madi's swipe with a smile on his face all the while.  Takin' it all in stride.  Man, he's good!

How great is Aunt Jodi?  Great enough to capture the blind duck (it LITERALLY couldn't see her comin) in Mike and Em's backyard, all in the hopes of grabbing Madi's attention for a frame or two.  She plopped that decrepit old bird right on Grandma's head to get my rascally witto tots to smile for the camera.  Now that's going the extra-mile!  Such dedication for the arts.  Man, it don't get any better!  LOVE THAT GIRL!!!

I WANT THAT DUCK!  Our smiles got real BIG, real CRAZY, and most importantly real GENUINE for the next few pics.




Thank you, Grandma Black for the beautiful, priceless pics.  Thank you, Jodi, for your behind-the-scenes help...you really "QUACK" us up!  Thank you, Mike and Em, for having such a gorgeous, scenic backyard.  We truly have MUCH to be grateful for this holiday season.  Our happy, thankful hearts are bubbling over with gratitude.