Emily is having a birthday

Hi Everyone,

This is Emily's husband Aleks and she doesn't know it yet but I have hijacked her blog. You see in just two hours it will officialy be her birthday. Typically when one of our family members has a birthday Emily will do a blog where she lists as many special things about them as they are old. Like this one for instance.

Well I could do that and list all the usual things (which you already know). She's thoughtful, beautiful, kind, smart, talented, an amazing mother, an amazing wife, etc. but the more and more I thought about it the more and more it all came down to one word. The one word that describes my wife better than another is…Powerful.

The definition of powerful according to Google is:

pow·er·ful
ˈpou(-ə)rfəl/Submit
adjective

1.having great power or strength.

Sometimes I wonder if Emily knows just how powerful and strong she really is. I watch her as she handles the everyday stresses of life, teaching, kids, marriage and how she takes on every challenge with resolute determination and never giving up. I've never seen her back down from a challenge, never seen her quit. When she see's a problem she doesn't wait she just fixes it.

I think about the time we lived in Connecticut and there was no real opera scene for young artists in Hartford. Where some would get discouraged and give up her solution was to team up with a friend (and then a few more friends) and start her own opera company, Hartford Opera Theater or H.O.T. With zero money, administration experience, or resources she just decided to do it. At one point she actually built a stage in our basement. Now that company has a strong reputation and presence in Hartford, non-profit status, a board of directors and she was the one who started that.

This is why I married her. This is why I'm attracted to her. This is why I love her.

I am fortunate that I have had powerful and strong women in my life. My mother, my grandmothers, my aunt and this is why I was drawn to Emily. No weak kneed woman for me.
The best part is she will be a role model of strength and power to my daughters.

As a parent I think we always worry about what our children will grow into but I feel confidant that growing up with their mother they will know their own self worth and know how to find their own inner strength.

Emily, I love you and like many I admire the human being that you are. I know this next year has many magical things in store for you. Happy Birthday!

P.S. I hope that our girls also get your writing skills and not mine.