my sweetheart is...40!

have i mentioned how much i love rich? i have been wanting to make a big deal about his 40th b-day for months. so it began with the photobook. i spent hours (and hours, and hours) on the computer creating a photo book of just our little family. finally i finished that, then began creating his surprise b-day invitation. done and sent out. then i began the process of gathering memories/feelings about rich from family & friends. this was no small task. had i known how long it would take, i may not have done it. i spent countless hours on email (bothering some of you, i'm sure) trying to gather info/pictures. after having some MAJOR problems with gmail, i finally (after more than a week) got all of your messages off of my email and began searching for photos to put with each of your memories. i then printed these on vellum and put them in a scrapbook. can i just say i shed many tears - not tears of frustration, but rather tears of gratitude. i am so grateful that so many of you took the time to tell rich what you love about him, what you think of when you think of him, special memories you have of him, what you think of him now, etc. i knew all of these things about rich. i knew you all loved him, but i wasn't sure he knew it. so as i gathered these messages from you and put them all together, the truth unfolded right before his eyes. as he opened this book and read all of these messages i know he was overcome with the same feelings i had - a gratitude that each of you have been a part of his life, no matter how big or how small, you've had an impact. thank you for sharing that impact with him. he is the love of my life. i look forward to another 40+ years