On April 30, 26 years ago, David was born into the world. Of course I didn't know it at the time, and until our lives merged 21 years later, I didn't know what I had been missing out on. So, on this, David's 26th birthday, here are 26 things that make David Douma the greatest blessing in my life, and the awesome person he is!
1. He loves dogs.
As you may know, we recently adopted a new member into our family. Little Tex is a joy, and the decision to
bring him home is owed, in no small way, to David. I believe dog people are the best kind is,
and that’s definitely true when it comes to David.
2. He's the world's best dad! From Daddy Daughter Dates to fun family traditions, David loves spending time with his girls. No matter how busy he may be, they’d never know it. He always makes the most of his time for them, and there’s no mistaking how much he adores them. Just watching him with our kiddos teaches me about how to be a better parent.
3. He loves Disney.
I’ve always liked Disney movies, but I’ve never met someone who loved
Disney quite as much as David does. And
even though I’ve been known to complain about the portion of mall time allotted
to the Disney store, I think it says a lot about the things David values:
family, fun, humor, overcoming trials, and happy endings.
4. He is driven.
When David decides he wants something, he sets his mind on it, and
everything between that moment and the finish line is just details. We’ve accomplished some hard things in our
life together, and so much of that can be attributed to his drive and
determination. Along those same lines…
5. He's a hard worker with a sense of duty. Whether it’s fulfilling church
responsibilities, to completing all of the CPA exams in one summer, or getting
through a 70 hour work week, David just does it. And what’s more, he somehow manages to come
out smiling! His work ethic has brought
so many blessings to our family.
6. He has a great attitude. Some things in life make you smile. Other things make you cry. Sometimes the good outweighs the bad, and
sometimes it’s the other way around.
David believes that happiness is a choice. So when life starts to get him down, he finds
some way to be happy.
7. He can eat at least a dozen chocolate chip cookies at a time
and not gain an ounce. O.K. I kind of
hate this. On the other hand, I hope our
children inherit those genes.
8. He looks good in anything. O.K., I kind of hate this one too. Especially when I’m pregnant and standing in front
of the mirror my fifth outfit. That
long, lean physique gives us all something to envy.
9. He’s dang good at putting a baby to sleep. Whether
it’s the knee bopping, or the hand holding, or whatever else it could be, this is a gift surpassing all gifts. He's often asked by women in the halls at church if he can work his magic on their babies. I mean seriously, what woman wouldn’t appreciate this?
10. He's a visionary man. When we had to make the choice of where to
put down roots, David’s head was filled with visions of warm climates, Barbecue,
and longhorn cattle. Mine was not. But now that we live in Austin, TX, I’m
grateful every day for persistence and his power of persuasion. Speaking of which…
12. He’s got a sense of humor, and keeps me on my
toes. Sometimes I still can’t tell
whether he’s being serious or not.
13. He's a good friend. And not only to me. I’m amazed and his ability to maintain
meaningful and lasting relationships with friends from as far back as
elementary school. I think this says a
lot about the kind of person he is.
14. He has integrity. Plain and simple.
15. He tells it like it is, and doesn’t sugar coat
things. You know that 'smile and nod' thing we all do sometimes? Not
David. He’s trustworthy and reliable in
any situation.
16. He embraces his inner child. David doesn’t waste any time taking himself
too seriously or trying to prove himself to anyone.
While he’s more mature than most where it counts, he’s a fun-loving,
playful guy who brings out the magic in life.
17. He loves God.
His love for God and faith in Christ is a constant in his life and part
of a strong foundation that our family is built upon.
19. He’s a good dish washer. And I hardly have to remind him to do it! But seriously, he’s willing to share the
burden when I need a little break, and sometimes, that just means the world sometimes.
20. He doesn’t complain when the house is
messy. Not that this ever happens. Haha… Sigh. But really, he makes me feel like he assumes
that I’m already doing my best, and that he appreciates what I have done
instead of noticing what I’ve missed.
21. He’s patient with me. I know there must be times
I frustrate him, especially when I’m been irrationally cranky or critical. But somehow he weathers it, and I think we
can attribute no small part of the happiness of our marriage to his patience.
22. He has an undying love and an uncanny knowledge
of almost every sport. I won’t pretend that I always appreciate this - I admit,
I can only watch so much football. But looking
at so many of the ways people spend their down time, I’ve thought many times how grateful I am that David has such a good hobby. (Shh!
Don’t tell him I said that!) Besides, that kind of knowledge of anything is a pretty remarkable!
23. He loves life.
Whether it’s a spur of the moment Sheryl Crow concert, a drive out it
the country, or just watching a movie as a family, David is always on the lookout
for ways to enjoy life. No rough time
has ever felt all that rough.
24. He’s good at being on time. This is
one of the many ways in which his strengths balance my weaknesses. And along that line…
25. He’s good with the green stuff – and I don’t
mean salad! David is good at budgeting
and making sacrifices, while without ever feeling like we’re missing out on
life. This is certainly not a strength
of mine, and I shudder to think what life would be like without this gift of
his.
26. He makes some cute kids! I guess I helped a little, and I might be a
bit biased, but just look at these two.
More importantly, he values having children more than the many other things
we could be doing in life. And that’s
pretty awesome.
K, I know that’s 26 but it was hard enough
squeezing it all into this many, so just one more…
27.
