You say it's your birthday!!! Da nanananana...

Today is Joe Powell's birthday.  I think he is wonderful.  Back when Facebook first started, there was a "thing" going around where everyone would write "25 things" about yourself.  Joe didn't participate, but I frequently stalked his Facebook page at the time, so I did him a HUGE favor and wrote his 25 things FOR him.  Isn't that what ALL husbands want?  For their WIFE to write 25 things about them and then publish it for all their friends to see?  Joe - You.  Are.  Welcome.

So, just in case some folks weren't around the FB then, or aren't actually FB "friends" with Joe, I've decided to honor him today - his birthday - on the blog - by REPOSTING his list of 25 things - again, written by ME.  This is dated January 30, 2009, so some things have changed..... I'll post the list..... and then do some explaining.

Twenty-five random things about Joe Powell…. (by Mikki Powell)

1. He can name a myriad of movies based on a snippet of a quote from given movie.
2. He snores…..loudly.
3. He enjoys eating food….almost any food (much to the delight of his wife who does NOT consider herself one of the world’s finest chefs.)
4. He is interested in history….his own, the world’s, our country’s, and that of all those in facebook land….he is even the only person to show any interest at all in his mother-in-law’s geneology efforts.
5. It relaxes him to float on Lake Tuscaloosa on his pontoon boat listening to Alabama on the CD player…."Oh, play me some mountain music….."
6. Disney makes him happy…and his favorite “ride” is running across the parks to get fast passes just so we won’t miss anything!
7. He truly, honestly, sincerely, and totally believes that the reason all of you joined facebook is to find out what’s going on in his life moment to moment. "They like me…..they really like me!"
8. He gets up every morning at 4 am so he can spend an hour with God before starting his day.
9. He’s pitiful when he’s sick….Cortaid and Nyquil are all a person needs.
10. His past in the restaurant business has taught him that the customer is always right….and a good businessman will do whatever it takes to prove it.
11. He does “laundry for Jesus” at NBC – odd job for a feller…. But then he also does all the laundry at home, too!
12. He is terrible – do you hear me? – TERRIBLE – at buying presents.
13. Casablanca is his favorite movie and he can quote the entire thing.
14. He leads his children in Bible study and prayer every night. 
15. He can make his wife madder than spit by sneaking a peek at his woobie (aka iPhone) every five seconds – even when on vacation or out with the family!
16. “The Joy of Painting” with Bob Ross lulls him to sleep….so he has about a trillion episodes recorded on the DVR. Happy trees….
17. He has a lovely voice, but can’t really carry a decent tune…is a bit tone deaf, but is in just about every musical act that NBC has to offer. AND – he honestly believes that Dr. John has been waiting for him all of his life!
18. The tip of his ring finger is buried in the front yard of 79 Deerfield (the result of an unfortunate door-slamming incident).
19. He enjoys being social….in person, through email, through facebook – whatever…(and his wife is a little bit the opposite –she’d rather be cozy at home!)
20. He pays ten bucks to take a nap at the Cobb Theaters – hasn’t seen an entire movie in YEARS!
21. He is a VERY good public servant – but a BAD politician.
22. It stresses him greatly to be out of town on a Sunday.
23. He can remember the EXACT dates of almost every event in his life (and the events of history, for that matter)---well, it was October 3 of 1983 and…..
24. He lured his wife into accepting his marriage proposal by first showing her the video presentation of Richard Nixon’s funeral. Yep, that’s right…such a romantic!
25. He’s really quite a nerd….but has gotten much cooler since he married Mikki.

Now.... a few of these deserve a bit more detail or altering - it HAS been a while since these were written.

#2:  He finally had a sleep study.  He's fine.  He just snores.
#3:  One of his birthday gifts was the new book by the guy on ESPN who does all the Taste of the Town spots in the different college towns... Todd Eldridge (is that his name?  Anyway...) This book gives descriptions and recipes from the various Taste of the Town places in tons of college towns across the nation.  Joe's goal is to go to and EAT at every one of these places.  Good goal.
#5:  Ever since we got married, Joe has wanted a boat.  He grew up on Lake Tuscaloosa and it's definitely one of his happy places.  Recently, we were a bit short on our funds as we got ready to travel to China to adopt Mary.  So, JOE SOLD THE BOAT.  The boat that he REALLY enjoyed.  The boat he'd wanted for so long.  He sold it.  To go get our daughter.  And he didn't let on like it bothered him or was the least bit of a sacrifice.  Precious.
#11:  He doesn't wash the baptismal robes at church anymore, but he DOES still do laundry at home, and since that's such a blessing to ME.... I"m gonna still call it doing "Laundry for Jesus."
#12:  He now has sense enough to either let me buy my OWN presents, or he goes STRICTLY by the list that I MIGHT leave stuck about on a sticky note.
#14:  Not only is he the spiritual leader of our home, but I often have people approach me at church or around town and tell about how Joe has ministered to them, too.
#15:  It no long irritates me when he's on his phone..... cause the other two males in my house are now old enough to have their own phones, and they do the same thing.  It's fine.... I'll talk to Mary at dinner.
#16:  Mary likes watching Bob Ross now, too.
#25:  No truer words were ever spoken.

I love you, Joe Powell.... and I love our little family.  
Happy, Happy, Happy Birthday!!

And don't forget that mine is next Friday.