Happy Birthday, Dr. T

the first time i became aware of your existence was in 2004 on the front porch of quiggle's house. i had somehow been invited to a cookout there. i think someone was trying to convert me to jesus. i remember thinking, "who's the j.crew model?" and possibly having a crush on you for ten minutes before i found out your were dating, and pretty over the moon for, liz, who i already knew a little bit and really liked.

since then, we have been lucky enough to get to know yall better. we had a blast at your wedding (even though it was the same day as the harry potter 6 book release party), we bought (and never used) slippy the shithead treadmill from you. new year's eve and birthday parties at your awesome atlanta house that left me very dizzy and dehydrated (i have many awesome pictures from those nights at yalls place), one or two hilarious lake trips where your tiny morrison made our giant chopper very aware of who was the alpha male, and then 14 characters at a time on twitter and the occasional witty blog comment or email since yall have moved.

i always thought you were intimidating. kind of too cool for school and certainly too cool for me. what with your cutting edge music preferences, politics-knowing-and-caring-aboutedness, your many degrees, and your farmer's market attendance, i wasn't sure if i could hang. whenever we would talk at these gatherings, i would peace out fast before i had a chance to show that i wasn't as cool or clever or knowledgeable as you.

i finally read the power of one, which rick always calls your favorite book and i think quoted from at your wedding. it was awesome. i finished it and then read it again all over. it was awesome. i should have read it earlier so we could have talked about that without me feeling inadequate. i actually thought about naming future sons peekay, but the pejorative association probably would not be overlook-able, despite the original peekay's many virtues.

but then yall got pregnant. and you started writing letters to noah. and it turns out, you're not too cool at all! you're a total smushy loveball in a way that i can totally relate to. the way you wrote and write and tweet about your awesome wife and adorable son is so cool in a whole new (to me) way.

i love how sold out you are to your family and what an invested dad and husband you are. i think your feisty liberal outbursts on twitter are hilarious even if i am woefully ignorant as to what the hell you are talking about. i love being your digital friend and look forward to the times when the tison and dukes families get to hang out and be all smushy and obsessed with our kids together.

nothing makes a 30 year old seem more accessible and down to earth than stupid ass baby talk and a goofy daddy-grin. happy birthday, chris! keep #winning.