There is nothing better than a dad who plays with his kids.

Except maybe making shots at the plastic Little Tikes hoop with your wife.  I love getting all competitive with you.

Milo: Um, Grown-Ups...Grown-Ups.  Maybe you guys should be on the same team. 

The other day was a rough one for me and the Little Kurtz Boys.

I struggled with them so much.

Fighting, not listening, using hurtful words.

You came home and right there in our bedroom you put on a Kurtz Pep Assembly.

It was a time to stop and think about ways they could show love to their mommy.

They knew their leader was right and their actions showed it.

I am so glad I voted for you for Kurtz Family President.

Jeff Kurtz, I am so glad I get to grow old with you.

Through thick and thin, I will be right by your side.

Your schedule has kept you so busy, moving from one job to the next.  It wasn't a surprise that you came home so tired last night.  Yet even asleep, you still make an awesome pillow.  Thank you for working your tail off and providing for our family.

At night, after our boys are tucked in for the third of fourth time, we snuggle into the quiet of the living room.  Neither of us wants to move an inch.  We have served others all day and we fold into ourselves with no more to give.

That's when you get up and scoop me up a dish of mint chocolate chip ice cream.  Only I know how giant that one small act actually is.

Thank you for serving me, even when you are done for the day.

Thank you for letting me use my PFP (Persuasive Feminine Powers) to get you to run errands for me.  When you sacrficice in this way I feel so taken care of.

Reason #285 why you are the best dad ever: You make us rock out to Eye of the Tiger on the way to the boys' basketball games just to pump the whole family up.

Yesterday I was grumpy.

In my most tired moment I said, 

"Life is so dumb", and you knew I didn't mean it one little bit.

Thank you for seeing past my funk to the real girl inside.

If a good marriage means you love each other through all the not-so-fun parts of life -

like using Valentine's Evening to fill out a loan deferment application together -

Then we have NAILED IT!!

But, just to make it a little more exciting, I got some treats for us tonight.

I love you more than a government loaned paid in full.

I love how you start the applause at the end of family movies we go to.

Not only do you pick up some Hawaiian Time on your way home from work,

but you create a key to let me know what I am eating.

Oh my goodness, I love this about you!

She was beginning to come between us.

Always there, sticking out.

I asked you to get rid of her.

And you did.

She got plucked.

And now you have pretty eyebrows again.

The things you do for love!

Today I:

- got everyone dressed and fed breakfast

- made three trips to the boys' school

- took Milo to soccer

- vacuumed our entire house

- did the dishes

- answered emails

- did two loads of laundry and put 6 loads in their drawers

- helped the boys make Valentine cards

- set up Play-dough for Milo

- took out the trash

- helped Max with his homework

Today I did not:

- clean the bathroom

- plan a healthy dinner

- sweep and mop the kitchen floor

- dust our furniture

- and much, much, much, much more

Thank you for being a husband who helps me focus on what I have accomplished rather than what I have neglected.  I always feel appreciated by you.

I like it when you text me before planning an after-work work meeting, to make sure I have no other obligations.

Your thoughtfulness in this area makes me feel so valued.

On Friday night you passed up an evening out with your cohort friends to:

take your middle child out disc golfing, a Daddy outing all to himself,

pick up pizza for our family where you got suckered into buying a bonus heart-shaped Pep (which actually turned into a triangle),

and hang out with your family in our cozy living room.

Thank you for giving the gift of time.

A new schedule came suddenly this week.  It was kinda scary at first.

I am proud of you for changing your routine and making it happen.

Your willingness to focus on what the Lord has for you rather than be consumed by the world makes me double proud.

2 Corinthians 4:18

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.