Belated Birthday

Brian celebrated his 38th birthday yesterday...in BRAZIL...AT THE WORLD CUP FINAL!  Yes, you read that correctly.  Now, for a sports enthusiast like my husband, if that's not one of the greatest ways to kick of your 38th birth year I don't know what is!  He has been over the moon with the people he has met, the places he has been, and the history he has witnessed whilst on this excursion, in addition to being in a very different part of the world and enjoying a new experience.  This trip will no doubt be long talked about and never forgotten!

I had mentioned to Brian months ago that I wanted to stick with the same series for his birthday as I did for mine for our blog.  That is, enlighten all of our readers with 38 (in Brian's case) things about him that you may or may not know!  I knew this looming trip would take priority and I also knew that once he had left the country it was going to be nearly impossible to get 38 things from him in his words, so I reminded him about this little post...many times before he officially departed.

But he left last Tuesday and I stood empty handed when it came to said list...

...SO, I've decided to take matters into my own hands.  I've been married to this guy for almost four years now.  I'm sure I can come up with 38 things that he may or may not want you knowing about him!  (Sorry, Bri.  This is why I asked you to come up with that list!)

So, without further ado, here we go!  We'll start with the five that Brian actually did email me in his words:

1. Loves to travel.  Brian lived in Scotland for about a year and a half just before we met and has always referred to it as such an amazing experience.  He was able to travel all around Europe.  In addition to living abroad, he also coached on several People to People soccer trips overseas including one (maybe two?) to Brazil and one (maybe two?) to Australia.  You see, people?  This is why I need Brian for this list.  The details.  For the details...  So, yes, Brian loves to travel!

2. Normally always hot blooded.  I'm assuming he is referring to his core temperature here and not his temperment!  If that is the case, yes, I can vouch for this.  He either warms me up in the winter or has to sleep on the far opposite side of the bed in summer because I sleep with covers year round.  I am not hot blooded or even warm blooded.  I am always cold, still.

3. He would love to star in a movie with Will Ferrell.  WHAT?!  I have never even heard this in my life, so I can't even really comment!  I suppose you learn something new every day!

4. Biting his nails is his one of his really bad habits. Yes, this is a terrible habit of Brian's that he just can't quit.

5. His favorite country is Australia.  Again, I knew he really enjoyed Australia when he visited but I didn't know it was his favorite country.  It's kind of fun learning these things about your own husband!

OK, so, folks, that is literally the list that Brian sent to me...so the next 33 are things that I've come up with after all the time we've spent together:

6. Brian is so dramatic sometimes.  See #3.  Perhaps he would do well acting...

7. In line with #6, there are two speeds on Brian's windshield wipers: 1. OFF, and 2. FULL SPEED AHEAD!  The two other speeds in between are totally disregarded no matter how soft or hard it is or isn't raining.  Brian is also one of those people that leaves his windshield wipers on well beyond the last rain drop.  He leaves them on so long that they start to squeak against the dry windshield.  Ugh, men.

8. Brian gets his hair cut no less than once every two weeks from the same barber shop.  He loves that place and is so funny with his hair.  I do still call him 'Salt & Pepper' or my 'Silver Fox' sometimes.

9. Brian is a serial networker.  This is not a joke.  If you are friends with Brian, you are in it for the long haul, buddy.  Brian meets people on planes, trains, and automobiles, remembers how he met them, and keeps in touch.  It's quite impressive actually.  This is one way that he always has a contact somewhere.

10. Brian's middle name is Andrew.

11. Brian is a SUPER-planner.  He likes to research, research, research the BEST possible hotels to wherever we are going, he likes to know the BEST possible restaurants and what the BEST dishes are there, and he likes to plan the BEST parties for his guests.  Between his planning and my details, we've got trips and parties covered!

12. Brian just knows how to "work the system".  Whether it's schmoozing with the host/hostess to get a good restaurant seat or speaking to customer service about a minor issue, he always comes out ahead.  It surprises me every single time and I have yet to figure out how he does it.

13. Brian is typically a pretty optimistic person.  Apparently, in high school people used to ask him how he could stay so positive.  Day in and day out, Brian would attend school with a smile on his face.   And then he met me...with my realistic approaches and sometimes the glass is half empty idea...Just kidding...I think?

14.  Speaking of school, Brian attended Catholic school until he graduated.  From there, he went to Ohio University.  Go Bobcats!

15. For Brian's High School Senior prank, he and a group of his buddies scaled the school, and put a bunch of huge holiday inflatables in their school courtyard, complete with a loose guinea pig...or was it a hamster?  Brian?  I guess it was a pretty huge hit with the teachers.  Not so much with the principal...

16. Some of the stories that he has told me from Ohio University are so not blog appropriate it's not even funny.  I joke sometimes that it's a good thing that we met at the ages we were because I HIGHLY  DOUBT we would have been friends in college...Not that we ever would've been in college together really since we are six years apart...but you get what I'm saying.

17. Although Brian attended Ohio University, his team will forever be Ohio State.  I have never understood this.  Go Bucks!

18. And speaking of teams, Brian would love a man cave where he could display all of his sports related paraphernalia because his wife has completely X'ed displaying his Ohio State Stadium framed football print in the living room...and office...and spare room...several times.  And trust me, people, when I say there IS A LOT of other paraphernalia!  Oh, and if we're on the subject of things we would love...there's that office space, finishing the basement, adding a bathroom, busting out the whole back of the house for the renovation, the landscaping...Oh, dear me!  Am I still going?!

19. Brian likes to be in the know ALWAYS!  Brian is always plugged in on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, you name it, he is on it.  And he has a hard time unplugging.  That's another one of those bad habits.

20. Kate is his world.  He loves her beyond explanation even though he is still adjusting to parenthood!

21. Speaking of parenthood, Brian makes the most disgusted face when he changes Kate's dirty diapers.  It is so uncalled for.  See #6.

22. Brian is an extreme social being.  See #19.  I, for one, am so glad he has an office job now instead of working from home.  Now he has people to talk to all day instead of wanting to talk to me and do things 'outside of the house' when I get home.

23.  Brian is not a handy-man.  He attempts to do minor things, but I would argue that I wear the tool belt around here more than he does.  Brian?  Rebuttal?  Oh, you didn't write this list?  Lesson learned then.

24. Speaking of not being handy, Brian is afraid of climbing up ladders.  As a matter of fact, I think it's heights in general that he doesn't like.  Needless to say, he does not clean our gutters, change light bulbs at the top of our steps, or walk along cliff ledges.  Quite frankly, he always makes ME walk farther away from the ledges too.  I say there's no sense in taking my fun away just because you don't like something...

25. Now, I don't know this for sure, but I would say that 9 times out of 10 Brian would rather fly somewhere than drive.  It's just what he likes to do.

26. No matter what day of the year it is or what sports season we are in, Brian can find a game to watch and a team to support, barring none.  I swear he would make our children have the initials E.S.P.N. somehow if it were possible.  Thankfully it is not.

27. Brian attended the Superbowl in 2012 and just attended the FIFA World Cup Final in 2014.  These are two items that he is able to check off of his bucket list.

28. Apparently Brian has a bucket list.  I have not seen said bucket list nor do I know what other things are on this list.  But now I'm curious too!

29. Brian is VERY opportunistic.  Sometimes to a fault.  (He literally was tossing around the idea of selling our house a few months ago leaving us with no place to live while under the impression that he could find us a new and better place in a few months.)  Um, yeah, I had to X that as quick as I X'ed the OSU print in our living room...

30. Brian loves buffalo wings!  Loves them!  Like, I'm never surprised when Brian orders wings from the menu...and it's pretty often!

31. Brian has never had any cavities.  I CURSE YOU AND YOUR STRONG, HEALTHY TEETH!  Oh, and I hope Kate has your teeth and not mine because I can't remember going to the dentist and not having a cavity.

32. While Brian is turning 38, he is so not nearly 40.  He has such a young spirit (read: he is very immature).  Just kidding!  :)  But seriously, I would not say that he is nearly 40.  I would say he acts younger than that, in a good, fresh way.

33. Brian thinks he has a creative vision but he does not.  For example, he wanted to place our kitchen island 180 degrees from what it is now which would leave us 10" to scoot by on one side and incapable of opening the fridge on the other...Yes, I'll take that tool belt now.  Please and thank you.

34. Brian is a sure advocate of the iPhone and tries to convince me to cross over all the time.

35. Brian is inspired by strong people.  People that range from his very own Grandpa to Famous Athletes to Bill Gates.  And he'll hang on every word they say.

36. When I first met Brian, he introduced his signature dance move to me as The Seaweed.  You stand in one spot and just sway - your body, your arms...This is true.  I would imagine that his moves also consist of The Sprinkler, The Cabbage Patch, The Lawn Mower, and The Chicken Wing, but I was too scarred from that first introduction that we've never been out dancing together.  ;)

37. Brian wants the best and only the best for the people he loves, especially Kate and me, and it is so sweet.  Knowing that he will do everything he can to give us/get us the best is so endearing.  Sometimes we teach him that it is the thought that matters most to us but we still appreciate his efforts.

38. No one will argue with this one, per Brian's Grandpa, Great People Create Great Stories.  There is never a time where you won't hear a story from Brian and wonder how in the world he got himself into such a cool/extraordinary/bizarre situation!  He is a great person and seeks the great in all things in life.

And one for good luck:

BONUS: I would argue that Brian's favorite pizza is a pepperoni pizza!

And there you have it!  38 (plus one bonus) things about Brian that you may or may not have known!

From the bottom of my heart, Bri, I hope you had a fantastic birthday!  We can't wait until you are back home, to have you home and to celebrate, dance moves and all!

Happy Birthday, Brian!  We love you!