My husband and I have known each other since middle school. (Yeah, we’re one of those couples.) When we first started “dating” (or “going with each other,” if I’m going to use accurate terminology from back in the day), we hardly knew each other. I knew he was cute and smart and played soccer. And shy. But not much else. Over the past 20 years, we’ve certainly learned a lot about each other.

And there are certainly a lot of reasons I love my husband. Like the givens — he’s kind, thoughtful, considerate, intelligent, romantic; not to mention he works hard to take care of our family, he’s an amazing father, and he just really gets me. He ain’t bad to look at either. But there are also a lot of things he does that solidify the fact that we both chose correctly in the game of life. And so I dedicate this post to sharing some of the things I really dig about my husband. Things that aren’t the givens. And really, this list is just scratching the surface.

In no particular order:

1. He insists on bringing in all of the groceries from the car himself. And always in just one trip.
2. He does all the driving.
3. He’ll choose to drive the car with no ac and the cats for our 8+ hour road trip during our move so the kids and I can ride in comfort. Every single time.
4. Every night he asks if I need anything before he goes up to bed as I stay up doing work (or blogging).
5. He automatically assumed responsibility for the trash. And anything requiring muscle around the house.
6. Even though he’s allergic to bees, he insists on being the one to go out and spray the hornets’ nest outside our back door.
7. He takes the kids out to the park or on long drives when he knows I need some time alone.
8. He knows I prefer fountain sodas to bottles or cans and always brings one home to me just when I need it.
9. He always lets me have the last bite.
10. He offered to give me his brand new phone and go back to his old phone when our 5 yo inadvertently dropped mine on the concrete and busted it all up.
11. He can always, always make me laugh.
12. He has never thought twice about having to switch sides of the bed every time we move so that I can sleep furthest from the door.
13. Speaking of beds, he’s accepted the fact that I need to sleep with pretty much all of the pillows. And blankets.
14. He always walks on the outside of the street closest to the oncoming traffic.
15. When we’re out and about without adequate stroller coverage, he will carry the big kids when they get tired — both of them — all around however long we’re out and about.

Love you, babe! TTM&S. Forever.