Twenty-Five

Happy Happy Happy Birthday to Martin Karl Bruning, the love of my life, my best friend, and an all around amazing person! For Martin's birthday this year, I decided to give you all a list of 25 reasons why I love Martin and why he is so amazing. Just in case you can't see how wonderful he is yourself!

1. I am hopelessly in love with him

2. He sends me cute, spontaneous text messages

3. He eats even faster than me

4. He does laundry!

5. He makes the bed sometimes (I never make the bed, but it looks so nice when he does it!)

6. He’ll watch hours of Seinfeld with me

7. He likes chickflicks (even though he pretends not to)

8. He’s super loyal to his friends

9. He always stands by his family’s side

10. He puts either Italian Dressing or Hot Sauce on everything. But, he’ll eat my meals without anything extra just to make me happy

11. He’s fun to argue with

12. He looks cute in glasses, even though he thinks he looks dorky

13. He has B-E-A-utiful hair; who wouldn’t love those curly locks

14. He has such a nice, burly beard and it feels soft against my face.

15. He is insanely, almost annoying courteous. Story: Once, when we were dating, Martin and I went to Tim Horton’s to grab something to eat at around midnight. The cashier asks us if we would like it for here or to go. Martin, not wanting to put her out of her way by having to wipe the table after we left, gets into a five minute conversation with the woman trying to decide whether she would prefer if we took our food “for here or to go”. Everyone was very confused and I eventually had to intervene.

16. He’s resistant to change, but when I break him down and make him move or travel or try a foreign food he always loves it. (He used to be really opposed to Chinese food. He eventually went to a Chinese buffet and loved it. Then, he went every single Sunday night for almost a year!)

17. He really likes routines. See: Chinese food every Sunday night. There was also a time period when he went bowling every Saturday. I do not like so much repetition – so it’s a constant battle!

18. He calls my mom, Mom. I know my mom is really touched everytime she hears it.

19. He always makes everyone around him laugh. Seriously, you never see unhappy people around Martin

20. I bought him a pair of jeans that are actually fitted nicely and he calls them his “sexy jeans” and totally eats it up everytime someone compliments him on them.

21. He loves cheese on everything as much as I do!

22. He is a terrible gift giver – for some reason I find that endearing AND I know that there’s really only one direction we can go with the gift giving. (The first Christmas we were dating he got me a Keystone Light Lamp and a blue polo that 4 of his friends also got their girlfriends)

23. He thinks I’m great and tells me so.

24. He moved to Trumansburg for my job! I mean, seriously, can you believe it?!

25. He has a twin sister, Ingrid, who I absolutely love!!! HAPPY 25th BIRTHDAY INGRID

picture by Tom Rivers

Happy Birthday Martin! Thanks for making my life complete!!