It’s that time of year again…the day I feel like it’s perfectly okay for me to be cheesy and romantical (one of my favorite made up words) and wish my awesome life partner and husband a happy birthday on my blog. Last year I told the story of the beginning of our relationship and of the infamous chocolate cake. This year, instead of a story from the beginning of our relationship, I wanted to share something a little bit more recent…so here goes!

All my life I was the smallest kid in my class and probably the least athletic too. I used to have dreams of being a figure skater or a gymnast (probably because those are really the only two sports really small Asian girls who weigh like 60 pounds til they’re 12 can do) but I forgot that you really have to be coordinated to do either one of those. I feel like, if you’re going to be small, you should be coordinated! You don’t have the body mass to be as strong as a lot of people and you don’t have the leg length to ever really be that fast…coordination should at least be like, a consolation prize, right?? Anyway, being small and really not coordinated at all meant that I was never into sports or athletics at ALL. I basically considered reading books or eating pop tarts my kind of sports. I always preferred being inside reading to going outside and playing.

As an adult, I never really picked up “working out” as a habit. I basically considered myself a proud couch potato, which is completely the opposite of how John is. He was the captain of his high school football team and learned early in life to love being active. What most people who meet him now don’t realize about him though, is that he used to be overweight. At his heaviest, he weighed close to 300 pounds. One day, while he was in college, he decided to lose weight…and today’s John is 100 pounds lighter than high school and early college John! Talk about dedication!

Anyway, you’re probably thinking, well, that’s great, but what does this have to do with anything? Well, the best thing about marrying someone who is so different from you is that they fill in all of places where you’re lacking. They make you better and challenge you to reach lengths you never thought you could go. Being with John has exposed me (very gradually, but still) to the world of physical fitness. Last year he encouraged me and supported me as I started running and then ran my first half marathon. This year he helped me train for my first full marathon and then taught me how to lift weights. Having him in my life has LITERALLY made me a stronger person. A better person. Watching my husband strive to better and challenge himself on a daily basis has had such an incredible effect on me. Beyond just feeling so much stronger because of him and all that he’s taught me, I feel so happy every time I have the chance to make him proud. I am so lucky to have this guy in my life.

John, if you’re reading this, I’m so happy you were born. And I’m so thankful for all of the ways you’ve changed my life for the better. For all of the things you’ve taught me, all of the ways you’ve encouraged and supported me. Happy Birthday!