Everyone should have a Chad

   Sick, Sick, Sick. I feel like our whole family has been sick for a month! Mainly because we have, but it's starting to get annoying. Liam and Chad had pretty bad ear infections at the beginning of the month, both treated with antibiotics, Chad and I were both hit with a 24 hour bug the day after Chads birthday and Then I came down with a respiratory virus and infection that I waited 2 hours at a clinic to have them tell me that I could gargle salt water, take unmedicated nasal spray and use a humidifier at night....duh, people, duh.
  Ive don't want to complain because I'm realizing that lots of junk is going around right now, EVERYONE is sick, our ward was 1/2 empty on Sunday and everyone there was either sick or just getting over/into being sick. Chad goes to work and wears his shirt collar over his nose because everyone around him is coughing and sneezing all day long.
    i just want to feel well again. I just want to feel like pregnancy is the only thing I have to worry about. (27 weeks and feelin it)
    On the bright side, Liams been cuddly all month! I've loved having an excuse to give him an orange juice and cuddle up in his favorite blanket with him to watch Frozen for the 267th time. I loose my mind around 11:30 and have to get out of the house but he is such a good sick kid, he lets me run a few errands and falls asleep where ever he wants. When he's sick, he never whines, he just looks at us with those big baggy eyes, lays down on our laps, ask for snacks in his raspy little voice and gives us soft smiles.


Chads birthday was....underwhelming. I'm the worst, we had Liam and now Chads birthday gets forgotten. Not by me of course but I don't put enough emphasis on it since I'm spending the weeks leading up to it preparing for Liams birthday. Luckily, Chad's even more obsessed with making Liams birthday special than I am and he understands the struggle. This year though, we were all sick, I had to work, Chad had to work and everyone in our family was busy. We did the best we could though, we ate lunch together, took a long nap, got a sitter and had dinner with the Fishs, the next morning I surprised him with a "man date" with my dad and Brennon at top golf, which I thought would be the highlight, but that's the day Chad came down with the stomach flu.

I tried, I really tried.

Luckily, Chadders knows how much I love him.... but just in case....

A birthday Ode to Chad, here are just a few reasons everyone should have a Chad in their life.

Loyalty. Chad is the most loyal person I've ever met. Its why I married him. It's also the reason he makes such an incredible friend, leader, co-worker, son and brother. He'll often finish his reasons for doing something with the phrase, "Plus, they're ours friend!" or "I have to, I'm his brother!" or "of course, you're my wife!" I tease him because sometimes he's less then an emotionally responsive being but he gets relationships and loyalties a whole lot better than anyone else I know!

Idea Machine! This guy is always coming up with the next business idea or our next life venture. He has huge dreams, dreams that used to scare me. I've learned to ride with the waves not against them and its taken me and our family to some pretty incredible places and in acquantance with some remarkable people.

Scape Goat. If you think you've done something questionable or had a rough day...talk to Chad about it, he'll make you feel a lot better about yourself by sharing something MORE questionable that he's done. My family jokes that he's the perfect way to make others feel comfortable because they can say things like, "oh please don't feel bad about that, one time Chad..." It sounds like a backhanded compliment but I don't know anyone who has owned up to more mistakes and misfortunes than Chad but I know plenty of people who have been through them and choose to hide them away. Chad has experiences to share them. He gets it. Its about learning and loving others. He's so good at it and he's taught me the importance of being proud of and open to sharing all your experiences, even the ones that don't stroke your pride.

Server. Chad is always thinking of new ways to serve those around him. We are big believers in love languages and have read the book a few times together but I've watched his love language slowly change over the years, he has become more and more of a server and feels love best when it's through selfless acts and time spent together FOR each other. Such a truly attractive quality to have. If chads in your life, you know he'd drop anything and help you fix a car, talk about a problem, make you laugh when you're stressed, search for solutions to a problem or just pick up a broom and start cleaning/working/serving. One of my favorite Chadisms for sure and a very good reason to have a Chad in your life.

He's family! I've got all sorts of sociological theories as to why Chad is the way he is when it comes to his relationships with people. His upbringing, life events, different trials he's been through etc. but no matter what the influencing factors are, I believe Chad was born with a gift to insert himself in others life as an irreplaceable piece. Chad is rarely just a friend, when he makes friends he becomes a brother, or a funny "uncle". He has countless "moms" who would happily claim him and all his young mens leaders growing up still keep in touch and see him as a son. Bishops are father figures by nature but we haven't had a single Bishop (since I've known him) that hasn't formed a very paternal bond with him too. I thought i was good at making friends but Chad has given me a new standard to rise to.

I could go on and on but lets leave some gems for later.

Chadders I love you, each year its such an honor and a privilege to be your wife and watch promises from your patriarchal blessing come to life as you grow in the gospel and become, even more so, the man of my dreams. I know your not thrilled about getting older but think of it as getting better, thats what it feels like to me!

Love you Chad.