Happy 4-0!

To the love of my life. To my best friend. To Allan. 

Allan is 40 today and I hope that this birthday makes up for all of the crappy ones that he has had in the past.  Not that they have all been bad, but he sure doesn't have a great track record.  Just to throw out an example, last year, I had high hopes for finally making it a "nice" birthday.  I made lasagna (one of his favorites) and set the oven up for delay cook since the kids and I were going to be at Faith Formation until 6:15. The plan was to have it cooked and ready to eat the minute he arrived home. Then, follow up with cake and gifts. HA! On my way to church, I realized that I had set up the oven, but didn't put the lasagna in.  I confidently called my neighbor, Danny, and asked him to take the lasagna out of the fridge and put it in the oven. No other action required.  Simple, right?! Wrong!  He put it in the microwave instead.  Since lasagna cannot be cooked in 15 minutes, we had to order pizza from the Country Store at the last minute.  What a letdown! 

So, that being said, I have high hopes that all of my surprise plans will flow smoothly and this will be the best birthday EVER!!!  I so wish I could be there with him to enjoy every minute of it, but this is honestly the best gift that I could give him.  Stay tuned to find out what it was........ 

Enjoy some of the pictures from Allan's youth. I'll try to scan more later. 

Holland, April 2000

T&A dating in 1997. 

Back in the day. Junior prom, 1986.

Today. Crazy as ever.