Cody Wayne Prater's 25th birthday was June 9th. I realize that today is not June 9th. I haven't done a very good job of celebrating Cody's birthday this year. I didn't even wrap a present. I got him a card that is still sitting in a drawer in our kitchen. I really dropped the ball in other words. In an attempt to make up for a less than noteworthy birthday celebration, I am going to devote a blog post solely to Cody and all that he does for me. Here goes!
Cody's 25th birthday falls ten days before our one year wedding anniversary. This close occurrence of such important events that both deal with Cody got me thinking the other day about where in the world I would be without my husband. I decided that I would make a list of 25 reasons why I love Cody and write them down for him. Then, I remembered that I made a list of 365 reasons why I loved Cody for our one year anniversary years ago. I didn't want to undermine the coolness of my list of 25 with the list of 365. So I started thinking about just our past year of marriage. What have I learned from being legally bound to Cody for almost an entire year? What I determined I have learned are a few lessons that Cody has probably been teaching me for a lot more than just our one year of marriage.
Lesson #1: Don't take things too seriously.
Cody is the king of silliness. I used to think that his over-the-top antics were somewhat hard to stomach when I first met him. I realize now that Cody may have the right idea. I am naturally very serious and extremely focused on serious things. Cody keeps me laughing. He reminds me that there is more to life than following a path that someone else laid out for you. Cody is a constant reminder of loving everyday that you get to wake up and go out and do something good and positive with your time. With a smile on your face. Or at least a smile closer to the surface of your overly intimidating demeanor than it was seven years ago when you came in contact with Cody.
Lesson #2: Dream a little.
Cody is a dreamer through and through. He thinks that the world is his playground, and there is nothing that could ever stop him from accomplishing what he wants to do. I am much more realistic about my life. I am always on the lookout for roadblocks and hurdles along the way. Cody continues to defy the odds of the real world. He gives true meaning to the idea that dreams can come true. I have not wholeheartedly adopted this motto with my life. I am afraid that if we both did nothing but dream, we would most likely find our home foreclosed upon with no money in the bank standing in the unemployment line. I do find myself trying to open my mind to things that once seemed ridiculous to me. I have learned that with Cody there are lots of odds that can be defied.
Lesson #3: Believe in a power that is bigger than yourself.
I am not a huge religion philosopher. I don't like writing or speaking about my beliefs in God, because I think that everyone's religious ideas are unique and honestly none of my business. One of the things that struck me very early on in getting to know Cody was that he is religious unlike anyone in my family or anyone that I've ever known very well. Cody believes in God. He believes in God with more conviction and confidence than I have ever found. In my time being with Cody I have learned that all things in this world are controlled by someone bigger than us. I still cannot rattle off Bible verses. I will not stop a stranger on the sidewalk to tell them about Jesus. But having Cody as a constant reminder of the good things that come from believing in God helps me to continue working toward what is right for me from a religious stand point. And being married to a man that is so strongly rooted in his faith allows me to sleep at night knowing that Cody is good and just and kind. There is nothing more important than that.
Lesson #4: Cody loves me.
I realize this is weird. You're probably wondering how did I just now realize that Cody loves me? In my almost seven years of knowing and being with Cody, I was never confronted with a whole lot of controversy in my personal life. Cody got to know the completely level-headed, calm and collected Katy Schrodt. I was blessed to have a few years of relative calm in my life. Along the way I found myself occasionally wondering why in the world Cody would have ever picked me out of all the other girls he found. I always questioned his motives on some weird level. Years went by. He never faltered in his devotion to me. He never gave me any reason to believe anything other than the words that came out of his mouth. Yet, I always figured I would eventually be struck with some catastrophic event in my life that would require me to be depressed and angry and upset and a little crazy and Cody would finally see the writing on the wall. While we were dating, I always worried I was just holding it all together well enough to sneak the craziness by him. Close to the wedding I have to say some of my insecurities surfaced. I was irrational at times. I was weird and girly all the way around. He didn't flinch. I cried. I complained. I made crazy requests. He didn't blink an eye. And in our first year of marriage I have again been faced with things that simply require me to be a little unstable. A little raw. And again, Cody has not faltered. He is a strong man who stands by the people he loves. And with every year older I see Cody turn, I find myself a little more in love with that guy that seemed so silly years ago. I love so much about him that's it's hard for me to believe that I am the one that caught this smokin' hunk of a man. And then again I come back to remembering that there is a map that we are all following that doesn't involve me or Cody making decisions. And I'm okay with that.
Happy birthday, Cody Prater! You're the best husband I have ever had. I hope your next 25 are as blessing-filled as your first!
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