he made it.

27 years of lots of awesome.

don't believe me?
fine.
i'll prove it.

darling baby. awesome.

curious even then?! double awesome.

doing the Chinese squat, even before you knew you'd be speaking Chinese as an adult? triple awesome.


Riding solo with the training wheels? Quadruple awesome. Leaving Steph in dust--about to fall? Not so awesome. Please deduct one awesome from your score.

always a friend. 5 awesomes.

I'm not sure if he is strapped in funny with the seat belt, or if that is Lederhosen.
Either way, this deserves 6 awesomes.

super sporty at such a young age? 7 awesomes.


I know you've seen this Jenga picture a million times, but it is SO great every time.
I STILL love this one. So, it's in the list again. 8 awesomes.

9 awesomes in the new roller hockey gear. yeah! Good form!

the sunglasses? hmm... that is MINUS 3 "awesomes". Sorry, babe.
But, you are still an adorable 17 year old.

The thigh high waders? I'll have to deduct another "awesome" but, because you are so happy and fun in this pose,
you have earned a 10 awesomes.

here you are in your dream state... Alaska. Because you love it so much there, I'll give you 12 awesomes.


As a missionary in San Jose WITH darling children adorning you? Yes, that is worth a lot. 13 awesomes.

in Tahiti posing it up BY YOURSELF? That deserves 14 awesomes.

the temple in the photo automatically adds 15 awesomes to your score. Good work.

Posing next to the scary lion in China on your solo adventure? 16 awesomes.


letting me paint your face? 17 awesomes. Were we dating then? Yes.
Would you let me do that NOW? hmmm... maybe not.

again, posing somewhere you wouldn't have normally chosen, but did it for me in front of the yellow rose bush?
That deserves 18 awesomes.

Being so darn cute? 19 awesomes.

Pretending you are a raptor of some sort? Well, for the dorky-ness of it all, I will have to deduct ONE awesome,
but because it endears you EVEN MORE to me, I will add 20 awesomes to your score.

having the idea to tandem bike across the Golden Gate Bridge? 21 awesomes.

Speaking Chinese in China Town, San Fran when they didn't expect it? 22 awesomes.

Taming the wild jungle that was our back yard? 23 awesomes.

Being a rad dad, darling husband, and OH! SO MUCH MORE!!---that adds 27 awesomes to your total score (sorry, I ran out of steam and didn't have the energy to find four more photos). So... since you are so good with numbers--- you figure out the total.

Lots of love to the big birthday boy.
xoxo,
melis