To My Husband

Typically on my family blog, I post a whole bunch of pictures and some thoughts for each child’s birthday. Today, though, we celebrate my wonderful husband, Doug Hibbard. Knowing how he feels about pictures, I won’t create the montage of his life, either from the past year or his earlier life (although it is tempting to scan a picture of him as a child and put it side by side with a picture of our son to show how alike they look!). But I can’t help but share some thoughts. I thought I’d do it here instead of on the family blog, mainly because I want to introduce you wonderful readers to this incredible man!

Doug is an amazing husband. He loves to wait on me, but he also loves to do for others. I delight in watching him do little things to brighten the days of those he loves.

He is one of the smartest people I know. He might not always know the answer, but he typically knows how to find it. He processes quickly and observes so much. I love to hear his thoughts and observations. He challenges me to look beyond the surface and the visible. Oh how I have learned from him!

That also means he can problem solve. He’ll toss out ideas on a whim that perfectly solve an issue I’ve been praying and thinking over for quite some time.

I love to watch him love our children. He interacts with them, teaches them, challenges them, and plays with them. And they adore him.

His skills as a teacher amaze me. He can take the most complex of concepts and make them learnable. He knows just what illustration or description will make a thought clearer. Light bulb moments happen around him all the time!

That extends to his writing and preaching. He expresses thoughts, ideas, and concepts in such a memorable way. And typically he tosses in something just to make people laugh. Sometimes it’s an inside joke that he knows will probably only make me laugh. Those shared moments stack up in my memory.

Have I mentioned he can cook? Oh, can he cook! I drool just thinking about it!

Over the past year I have watched as others have acknowledged the skill I see in him. God has equipped him in so many amazing ways, and it is fun to watch Him develop those talents, gifts, and abilities for His glory.

Doug, I’m proud of you and proud to be your wife. Thank you for letting me walk through this life with you! I love you!

Happy Birthday!