Happy Birthday, My Love!

Today is Tony's birthday. He is 43 years young, and I've been very blessed to spend the past six years with him, five of them as his wife, four of them with two other small people in our home. He is a wonderful blessing to me and our children and, I think, most everyone who comes in contact with him.

Tony is a hard worker, often gone before sunrise and usually out working again after the kids are in bed -- because yes, he takes the time to have supper and read stories and have prayers with the kids each evening (except for extreme circumstances). He is often up several times during the night, checking the temperature and going out to feed the fire at the farm, turn on water if frost is coming, move the irrigators, check the cows (especially when they're due to give birth...or if he forgot to feed them!) and more. He loves to work with his hands and would probably do some kind of wood working if it would pay the bills...but he also loves the land and enjoys preparing the soil, planting seeds, tending the plants, harvesting the produce, and enjoying the look and taste of what his hands have helped bring about (as do we all!). I don't know how he does it all!

As if farming wasn't enough, Tony also knows about plumbing and electric -- he has added electrical outlets to our house, put in plumbing for our washing machine, successfully installed our dishwasher, vented the dryer out side and inside (depending on the time of year), helped carpet our basement, built a playhouse for the kids, made a bed (and training potty) for Luke, creates wonderful costumes for the pumpkin parties, he dug a new well for our home, put in a new septic system (and did such a great job that the inspector said it was better than most professionals!), and does so many repairs to machines and more both here and at the farm (and the market), that I'm amazed. He takes out the garbage and takes up the laundry, he makes sure the doors are locked every night and checks on the children before going to bed himself.

Not only that, Tony is a wonderful artist...but doesn't often have the time to put his attention to doing much art work...although he takes the time to draw a picture for me usually for my birthday, our anniversary, and Christmas. One of my favorites was the picture he drew in my birthday card the first year I was his wife. We had just found out we were expecting a baby and hadn't told anyone yet. To the ordinary viewer, it was a cute picture...Tony and I having a picnic on a blanket, lovely scenery around us. But if you didn't know our news, you didn't realize there were tiny footprints drawn approaching our picnic blanket....

He has made a couple banjos...and taught himself how to play. He plays the trombone, and you don't want to ever play a game with him because he takes soooo long to think through each and every move! (I read a book or do some craft work when we play Scrabble.) He is an accomplished hunter and we always end up with toooo much venison!

Tony also is involved with church -- after two years of helping with our children on Wednesday nights so I could be involved with Awana, he is back to being a leader for the Boys' T&T group. He will resume teaching Sunday School to the 3-year-old class next quarter, something he started doing a couple years back.

October 18, 1965, Mama Carter gave birth to her seventh and last child -- Anthony Paul Carter. He was over 9 pounds (Mama can't remember exactly...and she can't find his baby book :( ). She told me once that after seven children, she ran out of names which is why Tony's middle name is the same as his oldest brother's given name. She told me he was always a good boy and usually very quiet.

Tony will be doing what he usually does on his birthday -- spending time with his family and working. We have another pumpkin party, and we are anticipating a VERY busy day, but I have a few surprises lined up for him (and in case he reads this blog before they happen, I'm not mentioning them...yet!).

Can you tell I love this man? And do you understand why?

I love you, honey, and we will do our best to give you a wonderful birthday!