Happy Birthday Julie!!!
It is hard to believe this will be the 15th time Julie and I will be celebrating her birthday today. While pondering this I couldn't help but think back to the first and how nervous I was. It was the day after our first date back in September of 1992. We spent the whole day together first visiting my church, lunch at Houlahan's in King of Prussia, and then the Philly zoo so I could introduce Julie to some of my relatives in the primate section. They thought she was great by the way. Well, I guess things were going pretty well as we decided to stop off at Valley Forge Park on the way back and sat and chatted for a couple of hours. I knew the next day Julie's parents who I had not yet met, were having a surprise birthday party for her which I was invited. Well, after spending the whole previous day with her I was a little bit leary about appearing at her party the day after thinking she may feel a bit overwhelmed at the attention I was giving her. That on top of meeting her parents for the first time and most of her friends who I hadn't met before including one lad (complete dork by the way) who was very interested in Julie and wasn't that thrilled that I had come on the scene. So now you can see why I was a bit nervous. But I was on a mission so I wasn't going to let a little nervousness get in the way. After all, my good friend Mike had prophesied the night I met Julie by calling her my wife.

Well, I said all that to say this, as a wise man once said. Instead of getting the feeling that I was overdoing it, Julie made me feel like the most important person there and after all these years is still doing the same thing today. I guess this sounds more like an anniversary because whenever we celebrate Julie's birthday, it reminds me of how things began with us and all the amazing experiences we've had together over the years. I never would have imagined what God would do with us and through us including those three wonderful children in the picture above.

Julie, you've been an amazing friend, bride and mother to our children. I love you and hope and pray that you have a wonderful birthday and that this next year of your life will be filled with many blessings.

Happy Birthday!!

Marc