Happy Birthday

Liza's 33rd Birthday

And now for an interlude to celebrate our hostess's 33rd birthday. Liza did an amazing job of making me look like a wonderful person a few weeks ago, so I thought I should attempt to do the same for her. I don't have her skill with language (see point 10 below) or her lighthearted touch with humor (see no. 15), but I will nonetheless try to express 33 reasons why I love Liza:

1. Liza enjoys life. She looks forward to good things to come and pursues things that interest her. This makes her someone people want to hang around with and talk to.

2. She is an artist at heart. This was one of the first things I noticed about her and, when I told her my observation years before her photography business, she seemed surprised. But the way she works so hard to express herself, phrasing things so carefully, there is no doubt she has an artist's soul. Now that she fusses over her amazing pictures as well, her artistry is even more clear.

3. While she says she does not like her "brow and sunken eyes" as she calls them, they are what first caught my attention. I think they give her a mysterious look that is sexy.

4. Liza genuinely cares about others. She is kind to strangers and works hard to give others the benefit of the doubt.

5. Liza is a phenomenal photographer. She has a natural eye for capturing emotion and movement in a still image.

6. Liza is one of the boldest people I have ever met. We make major decisions like career changes, buying a different house, quitting our jobs and travelling the world, and, once she agrees to a plan, she does not waver or have second thoughts.

7. But as bold as she is, Liza also allows herself to be persuaded by reason. She is not pig-headed in following goals and will switch strategies if she thinks it wise to do so.

8. Liza is a loving person. As an example, see her post about me where she left off the 145 ways I annoy her. She loves her family unconditionally and is raising three loving, caring children who learn from their mom.

9. Liza has vision to see what could be. When we look at houses or talk about renovations, she can visualize things after changes are made. She also once took a chance on an aging bachelor who just quit his job and was without a plan for the future. Few in her shoes would see someone worth pursuing. I will always be glad she did.

10. Liza is good at expressing herself. She always has well reasoned support for her thoughts. This makes her interesting to talk to and someone whose opinion everyone who knows her values.

11. Liza is amazingly smart. She remembers all of her math and economics training in detail years later. She also specializes in finding connections between seemingly unrelated things.

12. She has welcomed all my friends and family from the beginning. And given how good she is relating to people, she gets along better with many of them than I do.

13. She loves playing with the kids and will do any of the goofy things they ask (although she does not relish the "poopy" talk and games).

14. Liza is a great planner. She can create an accurate budget for any situation like trips to New Zealand or major home repair. She also is good at finding places to stay and things to do. Online, she somehow arranged for a limousine service to pick us up in Bangkok when we got off a cruise ship.

15. Liza has a great sense of humor. From day one, she laughed at my jokes (which may just mean she is polite). But she also makes me laugh everyday as well.

16. Liza looks really cute wearing a hardhat and goggles. Now that she is no longer working at the plant, we don't get to see this anymore - but maybe she will model the look for you if you ask her.

17. She is willing to look hard at her own character and flaws, and actively works on them with a therapist.

18. When Grace was born, after all Liza had been through, her first thought was that it was so amazing that she wanted to do it again.

19. Liza is tough physically and determined mentally. She did not complain much during her pregnancies and continued driving to Columbus, OH every week even when very pregnant with Grace. Now she is lifting free weights with a personal trainer to work at getting her body back in shape.

20. The yellow Jeep. She was so cute driving this, her first new car that fit her personality perfectly. But when the time came, she traded it in for a minivan without shedding a tear. Someday we will get her another Jeep.

21. She spends her spare time helping untouchables in India. Oh wait, that's Mother Theresa. Never mind. (I almost took the bad joke out of this list, but I thought it would make her smile so I left it in).

22. She puts up with me - bad humor, get-off-my-lawn moments, messy house and all.

23. She went along with her friends plans for dressing her in a humiliating way at her bridal shower, yet would not go so far as to take off her new leather pants.

24. I have always liked the way she moves. I have told her this from the start but I don't think she believes it. I think there's a song in there somewhere ("Something in the way you move..."). Naw.

25. She willingly sacrifices for others. Sometimes it is for me, like the way she used to sleep on the side of the bed near the leaky window without complaining. Much of the time now, she sacrifices for the kids.

26. She can figure things out for herself. Her new website is live now - she wrote it all herself after figuring out Flash.

27. She makes good choices and has good taste. This helped us rehab the downtown house into a showpiece that we sold easily. Even the other house sold quickly due to design changes Liza suggested.

28. She is a good partner and sidekick. If "wingman" could be used in a context other than pick-up bars, it fits her well. She is someone you want on your team.

29. She is accepting of the choices others make and she does not judge. In fact, she likes to talk to and learn from those who are different from her.

30. Liza visits her Grandma every week and often convinces the kids to go as well so Grandma can see them.

31. She is aging very well and doesn't look anywhere near her age (although she no longer gets carded).

32. She still went out with me even after I showed up late for our first date in my rusty old pickup truck.

33. I love how excited she gets from happy events and from life in general. Hopefully this list will add some additional joy.

In all, Liza is an amazing person and I think we are all lucky to know and love her. Especially me.

Posted by Derek