happy birthday Liz

Today (at least it is the 2nd here in Afghanistan) is Liz’s birthday. I will not disclose her age, but will remind everyone that she reached a milestone last year! I love this part of the year because for the next 2 months she is 2 years older than me. As we get older it is not as big of a deal. Now when she was 21 and I was 19, there was cause for a lot of ribbing that she was a cradle robber. The only thing I can rib her about now is that we are in two entirely different decades of life (oops did I give another hint about her age?).

This, I believe, is the first birthday of hers that I will have missed since 1990 (we met 1989). I have helped her to celebrate her birthday while she was in college, while studying in nursing school, on both sides of this continent and even overseas. This will be the first from a war zone.

My birthday present to Liz is that I will refrain from making another video on my blog. This will help stave off some of the embarrassment that I have caused her in the past and that which I am sure to cause in the future. Honey, I have nothing to toast you with except for orange-squash or black currant juices (actual drinks in the chow hall…yuck). So I raise my lemon lime Gatorade bottle up and toast you on your special day. I love you.

I do not have my drive with all my pictures on it, but was able to find a few pics of Liz over the years on my hard drive which are below. As opposed to the kids and I, she appears to remain ageless in her pictures.






Club Med, Ishikaki (spelling?) in Japan around 2003. I include this picture a) because the bunny ears and b) because Liz absolutely hated this shirt of mine.












Liz and Madeline at a 'tea' a few years ago.


















Liz and Kyle at Liz's BDay party last year.














Liz and Timmy in Okinawa circa 2003.











Maybe my all-time favorite Okinawa picture at peace park. Liz's wind blown hair, Timmy's look of terror, Kyle doing a superhero pose and Madeline giving her flower child peace sign. Classic!