This weekend was my fiancé's 25th birthday! Ryan is so old now! (You know I'm joking, but does anyone else feel like they were just 15, or is it only me?) Anyway, because this weekend was made for celebrating Ryan, I have composed a list of some of the things I love most about him—the things that made me certain I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him. 

1. He's a massive weirdo.

I will admit that I am a weird person. It's what makes me lovable. But Ryan—oh my dear, sweet Ryan. He is the weirdest one of all. Ninety-nine percent of the time, any strange picture of Ryan you see was something he did all by himself without anyone asking him to be funny or strange. 

Sometimes when Ryan is tired or it's late at night, he gets so weird that I actually have to ask him to be more normal or leave the room. I'm not even being dramatic. He's actually that weird. 

2. He likes the same geeky things that I do.

I'm the kind of person who toes the line between geeky, normal, and intellectual. I dress like a preppy mom, can often be caught reading classic literature, love a good hike, regularly hang out with friends in various social settings, and watch Doctor Who, Sherlock, anime, and other geeky shows. So when I first started dating Ryan, a guy who also seems normal from the outside (he likes to pretend he was a jock in high school), I wasn't sure if he would get me. But it didn't take long for me to feel comfortable enough with him to reveal my affinity for British sci-fi, and he soon fell in love with Doctor Who—so much so that he will debate with me about who the best Doctor is (David Tennant, duh). It's actually funny the number of times we independently find a new show and suggest it to the other to watch, only for that person to say, "Yeah, I already put that on my list!"

3. He (usually) loves my family, despite how crazy it is. 

When you've got divorce, remarriage, half-siblings, step-siblings, cult-joining aunts/uncles, and three dogs to contend with, loving my family can be a daunting task. But Ryan has always shown nothing but patience as my 5-year-old brother punches him in the face and then attempts to sloppily kiss him on the cheek seconds later, or as my 11-year-old sister draws pictures of the two kids (one boy and one girl), complete with pre-planned names, that she wants us to have "right after we get married, so she can be an aunt already," or as he gets tackled by Luna and Argos and covered in Great Pyrenees fur. And Ryan is the perfect partner to help me be calm and save my ranting for later when my brother bleaches his hair for no reason, or my mom is being overprotective, or various family-related insanity is going down. I'll always be thankful that I no longer have to face it all alone.

4. He loves dogs.

The number-one most important thing to me in a partner (okay, maybe that's an exaggeration—but only a slight one) is that they love dogs. I will have no fewer than two dogs when I am a fiscally-sound homeowner, so it is imperative that my future husband love puppers. I think it's safe to say that Ryan fits the bill.

5. He makes me laugh.

But honestly, how could you not laugh at all the weird stuff he does every day? Something about Ryan's sense of humor just cracks me up. Whether it's at dad puns or accidental word slip ups, I'm laughing at least 50 percent of the time we are together. I also always laugh when someone erupts into hysterical laughter at their own jokes, which is a good thing for him. 

6. He loves me well.

Okay, here's the mushy stuff. Ryan is extremely patient, kind, and service-minded. When I get home from my 12-hour drive home from Minnesota, he gives me back massages. He shows up at my house with a spontaneous bouquet just because he knows how much I love sunflowers. He hugs me with his hand cupped around the back of my head, and it gives me butterflies every time. He understands the meaning of sacrificial love, and at no point in our relationship have I ever felt that I was giving more than he was. He makes every experience more enjoyable just with his presence, and I am thankful for how he loves me every day. 

Happy birthday, babe! I love *all the things* about you!