Peterson Rocks.

Today's Ben's birthday and I'm once again convinced that I married the coolest guy ever.

I've been thinking a lot lately about this last year and what we were doing a year ago today or a year ago this week. A year ago today I was two days into my job at Zions--scared, overwhelmed and worried about not being home. While I was gone, Ben snapped this photo of himself after scrubbing the house spotless and breaking out the Kitchenaid. The caption on his Facebook post read, "Oh yeah. I've got mad baking skills."

This day, a year ago, Peterson choose to thrive in a place that he'd never thought he'd be.

And for that reason, I love how purely Ben this picture is: the rebel beard, buzz-cut, irreverant playfulness and stubborn attitude that comes through in his smirk. I love this picture because it captures the day he started what would be become The Mad Baker that sadly, in one attempt, bested my best attempts at baking over the last ten years. I love this picture because it reminds me that my amazing husband never imagined he'd hit 35 as an unemployed, stay-at-home dad to six little kids ... but he did it, and did it well because he knew that's where his family needed him to be.

Fast forward one year.

I snapped this shot of Ben yesterday for ldsjobs.org. They're featuring Ben and an article he wrote about his experience of being unemployed on their website next week. Gone is the beard, the super short hair and the attitude, but it's still purely Ben.

And for that reason, I love this picture because it shows him in his element--working in an office, connecting with customers and finding the best possible way to help them. I love this picture because I see the goodness and strength in him that I feel in love with almost fourteen years ago. I love this picture because it reminds me that my amazing husband never imagined that at 36 he'd be starting over at the bottom of the banking ladder ... but he is, and he's doing it well because he knows that's where his family needs him to be.

Thirty-five was a tough, tough year for Ben, but he's a stronger, more compassionate man for it. He weathered a layoff. He played Mr. Mom (better than I did I might add). He got to know his kids for the first time (and they love him for it). He found a new passion for baking. He finished not one but TWO bachelor's degrees. Peterson earned '36.' I'm so excited for this year and what it will bring to him. He deserves the best.

Peterson rocks.