Today is a significant day for two reasons. #1. It's the day Mike was born...and specifically it is his 30th birthday. That is kind of a big deal. We are going to celebrate tonight with some of our closest friends here in Vancouver...it should be a lot of fun! #2. Today Mike is stepping away from his full time job to be my full time business partner. We both have been working so hard for this day to arrive + I can hardly believe it is here. We are nervous and excited and 100% ready to jump in with both feet. It will surely be an adventure and although we don't really know how it is going to look yet, we are okay with that. All we do know is that we are ready for whatever lies ahead + know it will be great. I am beyond excited to have someone to talk to during the day. It can really be lonely working by yourself. So not only are we celebrating Mike's 30th Birthday but we are also clinking glasses in celebration of a whole new journey! Ok back to the whole birthday thing.... A 30th birthday is kind of a big deal so I thought I would share the 30 things I love most about Mike. Here we go...

// ONE. His positive spirit. Mike is the kind of guy that always sees the possibilities in everything. He rarely lets a negative word come out of his mouth + always chooses to see the good. His glass is definitely always half full.

// TWO. His love for adventure. Although this sometimes requires a lot more prayer on my end, I am thankful that he is the kind of man that isn't afraid to try new things. His love for adventure also allows me the opportunity to take photos of him doing rad things...like bungee jumping. I will never try it but I will gladly take a photo of him jumping off of a bridge.

// THREE. Traveling is very important to him. The moment when we both fell in love was when we discovered that stepping foot on all continents was a dream we both shared. I love that he would rather travel the world than buy a big house or fancy car.

// FOUR. He isn't afraid to take risks. Risking + failing is more important to Mike than never trying anything + living a mediocre life.

// FIVE. That he's a good sleeper. I love me some good sleep...If I had a husband that snored or was a bed hog, this would not be a good thing. Thankfully Mike sleeps like a rock + doesn't make a peep :)

// SIX. He makes me happy. When I am having a tough day, I love being around him. He makes stressful situations less stressful + has the ability to make me laugh like no other.

// SEVEN. I love that he genuinely loves people. He has such a big heart + really takes the time to get to know people. That's why he has friends all over the world.

// EIGHT. He's amazing with kids. Kids LOVE Mike + it's because Mike loves kids...and it probably also helps that Mike is a kid at heart. Anytime I talk to or see my nieces + nephews their first question always is "where's Mike?" It makes me feel really loved :)

// NINE. I love that he loves board games + cards as much as I do. But I don't love that he wins 99% of the time :) I don't know what it is but the guy always wins!

// TEN. He has grown to appreciate curling + the CFL because his wife is obsessed with both.

Mike Birthday Blog - Saskatchewan Roughriders

// ELEVEN. He put some of his dreams on hold to support mine. Now that is what I call love.

// TWELVE. He loves volleyball and is good at it. Volleyball is my favorite sport + I love that I get to play with Mike every Monday night in a beach volleyball league.

// THIRTEEN. His love for random facts. The books that you will find on his shelf are either travel guides or random fact books. The guy is a wealth of knowledge...some useless knowledge but hey, if he is ever being attacked by a bear at least he will know what to do.

// FOURTEEN. His dedication to his Oilers...when lots have jumped ship, Mike has never wavered in his love.

// FIFTEEN. A kid at heart. Mike loves life + will always see the world as one big giant playground. I know for a fact that this will still be one of the things I love about Mike when he is 80.

// SIXTEEN. I love that he knows me so well. He knows that when I say "I'm fine" it really means something else.

// SEVENTEEN. I love that he loves antique shopping just as much as I do. A man who loves to shop is always a keeper :)

// EIGHTEEN. His faith. The #1 thing on the top of my list was finding a man who shared in my beliefs. And I found that in Mike.

// NINETEEN. He's really good at googling stuff...me, not so much. If I really need to find something, Mike's my man!

// TWENTY. I love that he loves all sides of me...even my alter ego that he named "scary shari". He can even predict when she is about to surface + has a granola bar on hand to stop her from fully attacking. What a good man!

// TWENTY ONE. That he's a dream big kind of guy. Mike is always challenging me to think bigger + dream bigger. I love that the possibilites of what this life holds is endless.

// TWENTY TWO. I love the gap between his teeth. It's a Vallely trait + love it so very much. I'm sure my kids will hate to inherit it but I kind of hope they do. I think gaps are sooo cute!

// TWENTY THREE. That he's got some farmer in him + isn't afraid to get his hands dirty. Being a farm girl, a man who doesn't like the farm was not an option for me. The farm is my home + my most favorite place on the planet. Thankfully Mike loves the farm as much as I do + is more than eager to help whenever he can.

// TWENTY FOUR. I love that he works hard + plays hard. Mike works a lot + always does everything with excellence....But Mike also plays hard which I think is needed to live life fully + happy.

// TWENTY FIVE. I love that he can walk into a room of strangers and make friends with each and every person. I am always amazed at how many people Mike knows. We really can't go anywhere without Mike running into someone that he went to highschool with or worked with. And if he doesn't know you, he will be the first to introduce himself.

// TWENTY SIX. His generous spirit. Mike loves to help others + I personally think that a generous man is an attractive man. It's a quality that is way more important than anything else.

// TWENTY SEVEN. That he functions best on not much sleep. This will come in real handy when we decide to have kids!

// TWENTY EIGHT. I love that he is a dancer (let me clarify for those of you who don't know WHAT kind of dancer he is...he is a bboy aka breakdancer). Watching him do something that he is so passionate about brings much joy to my life. I really hope that our kids get his rhythm and not mine.

// TWENTY NINE. I love that we share a passion for photography. Getting to be married to this guy is a blessing enough but also getting to work with him is over the top awesome!

// THIRTY. I love that he loves me. I really do feel like the luckiest girl on the planet to be able to journey life with such an incredible person.

Happy Birthday to the fearless, full of life, most awesome man I know! May you feel immensely loved today + always. May your thirties be the best years of your life...full of everything you love + more! And may you look back on this day {May 25th, 2012} as the beginning of something great. I love you.

Happy Birthday Mike