You Know He Loves You When....

• He eats the first pot roast you ever cooked, and tells you its wonderful. (Even when its so damn dry that it could be used as a shot put. Honestly, who knew that you had to keep adding water to the dutch oven, and that you shouldn't cook it at 400 for five hours? Thank God I discovered the crock pot or I probably would have killed the man by now!)
• He lets you program your favorite radio station on his car stereo. (Believe me... this one is a biggie. Especially when his favorite music is heavy metal and yours is country.)
• He tells you he has absolutely no problem with any of your family coming to stay at your house on vacation. And proceeds to be the most pleasant man to be around while they're here.
• He lets you sleep in on the weekends, without reminding you that you said you'd get up early to get a head start on laundry.

But probably one of the biggest ways I know he loves me happens almost every year on his birthday. That man lets me embarrass him in ways that would make some of you cringe. And he does it with a smile (ok, more of a smirk, but still!). He doesn't even promise retribution. (Most of the time.)

Coach's birthday was today. However, since its football season, he doesn't leave the house on Sundays. Realistically? He hardly leaves the couch on Sundays. Knowing this, we planned our birthday celebration for yesterday. In our family, tradition dictates that the birthday person gets to pick what's for dinner. And the rest of us have to suck it up and eat wherever and whatever has been decided. This tradition really kinda backfired when the boys were younger. The only thing either of them wanted was McDonald's. Which Coach hates. With a passion. But.... he loves his kids, so he ate it. It also often backfires on my birthday, since I love seafood and Coach.... well, not so much. But again, he loves me so its never an issue. We all luck out on his birthday, though. Coach LOVES steak houses. And the boys and I love steak. So we all really look forward to his birthday every year. This year, we went to the Texas Roadhouse. *side note: if you've never been there, and you have an opportunity to go... GO! They have the BEST steaks; they've got the most delicious, melt-in-your-mouth cinnamon butter for their homemade rolls; and you get to throw your peanut shells on the floor!*

The fun thing the Roadhouse does for birthdays? They drag a portable saddle to your table, have the birthday person climb on up, and get the whole restaurant to give a great, big Yee-Haw! Now, this sort of thing is fun for smaller kids. Less so for teenagers. And very embarrassing for adults. Especially adults who are about as far removed from being a cowboy as a man can be. Remember my man? Heavy metal music? Yeah. Ball cap, athletic shoe, t-shirt wearing sports fanatic? Yep. Man comfortable on a saddle? Not so much.

But like I said. He loves me. So he climbed up there. Let the restaurant smile, hoot and holler for him. Climbed back down, slid into the booth next to me, kissed me and thanked me for a fun birthday. I wish I had brought my camera. Although, that might have been pushing what he'll do for love. :)

So what do you think? Should we go to the local pool hall when my birthday rolls around?