I turned 30 on Sunday (September 13) and Danielle had a little plan to welcome me to a new decade of my life. Apparently she had been planning on throwing me a surprise birthday party since before we even got married.

Why wait until 30? When we got married I was 26, which had already passed that milestone of 25, so 30 made sense. All day I was thinking we were going to go out (this was Friday) and just celebrate very low key, but as I was leaving work she called me asking me if I could stop and pick up some Aleve, so I did (she was really trying buy time). I got home and saw party signs and heard a loud “SURPRISE!” from a group of our closest friends, and wow was I surprised?!

Married men, your wife is your best friend and your biggest supporter and mine is special, she is so caring and loving and just think of all the smallest details to make sure I am happy. I couldn’t really think of anyone better to go through life and parenthood with. It makes me sad when I see and hear of men that treat their wives terribly as if they were idiots and have no respect for them, because your wife is the person that God handpicked to walk along your side.

So far my 30s have started really great, and as I ponder what the next decade will be like (which I have no idea) I am happy that I get to do that (and many more) with my wife Danielle.

-Luis