It's his birthday, thirty years down.

Andy turns thirty on Sunday.  We've now known each other for half our lives and been together almost as long.

It's funny because he acts like he dreads even the thought of turning another year older, this milestone in particular, but I just roll my eyes because to me it feels like this decade is his for the taking, and I know he's just being modest.

He's on the cusp of living his professional dreams, in a career that challenges and fulfills him at his core. In his heart he's a family man, devoted to all of us in ways that inspire me and that gratify my deepest needs. He's a visionary and a man of action, but he's a team player so I've always felt integral to his big ideas and valued for my role and for my contribution. Over the years we have developed a shared strategy in life that keeps us always moving forward and impassioned for what lies ahead of us. It's a characteristic of our relationship that I've always found alluring.

In truth he's just getting started and this birthday is his jumping off point for the next 10 years. Growing our family, laying down roots, chasing our passions, realizing dreams that started as penciled notes passed back and forth in 5th period. It's all about cultivating our life together and trusting our plan, and relying on the discipline that we established in our twenties to build something great in our thirties.

Tomorrow we celebrate. Following his lead, there will be no surprise 30th birthday bash. There won't even be a party. He and I have blocked the day out and we are going to spend it together, just the two of us. We have simple plans that involve the outdoors and good food and uninterrupted time.

Tomorrow we will play and reflect and dream some more.