To My Wife On Her Birthday!

I know all of you read this blog to learn about Tanner and get a glimpse into Tanner’s world through Beth’s eyes as well as to support us in this place where we find ourselves – and for the prayers and well wishes I thank you from the bottom of my heart!  I mean it – we could never make it through this without you!  I do not write like her, nor do I express myself as she does – (She is really good at this thing)   But today I want to make my post – and it is for my wife.

Beth Page

Beth Page

Beth Brisbane Page you are amazing!   One of your home co-workers cries and wets his pants (Jake),  the other is fighting an ugly disease that does not allow for a normal life of school, parties, etc (the time most moms get breaks)  – I want you to know that I realize that in many ways  this is as difficult for you as it is for Tanner – the feelings of being trapped in a house, the feelings of not wanting to go to clinic one more time, the feelings of exhaustion when no one sleeps at night – trust me I realize!  I watch you (a social butterfly is an understatement) a past VP of a Public Relations firm – working everyday with polly pockets and dinosaur toys.  I know that this gets old –  and the pretending games and motorcycle races drive you almost to the place of insanity – I realize – I promise!  But Baby – let me stop today on your birthday and in front of all these witnesses and remind you why I married you. I married you because…

  • you are strong!  You remind me of that everyday when you get up and start a new day of exactly what you did yesterday – not knowing how Tanner will feel, or if she will say thank you for the grind you work through each day.
  • you are smart! You remind me everyday when you learn something new about the disease and find new things we can do to make Tanner’s treatment better and easier for her.
  • you never give up!  You are the mother tiger – you fight for Tanner – if it the school, the hospital, or even me (for all the readers – I am a germ-a-phobe – If it were up to me Tanner would be in a bubble) Beth gives Tanner a life!
  • you are balanced!  You remind me everyday by how you make the kids exercise, do school work, give to others, and play without screens in front of their faces.
  • you are beautiful!  You look great in Pajamas or Jogging Pants, Dresses or Jeans – I know Jake tells you that you are cute all the time – maybe I need to learn from my 2 year old son and tell you more often!
  • you are you – no matter what any one else thinks!  That is a  lesson we all could learn – I am not sure that you have ever followed the crowd a day in your life – I do believe, however,  you may have looked which way the crowd was going and chose the other route for fun!
  • I just love you and I am crazy about you!

This post was so easy to write – and I could have gone on and on and on – that is how I know I love you – these things just spilled out – my fingers could not even keep up with my thoughts  – you are as amazing as I knew you would be when I married you – you are committed to our kids – advocate, cheerleader, mommy, and more – so on the days when you can’t feel it – read it!

We all stop and wish you a Happy Birthday!  You are a great mom and wife – you are my soulmate and my friend – you are amazing

Happy Birthday!

12 thoughts on “To My Wife On Her Birthday!

  1. I can’t believe you did this… you sneak! Thank you so much. As I’ve said before, I couldn’t do any of the things I do without you to bring home the bacon and so tirelessly support me… especially taking care of them in the mornings so I don’t have to get up at 6 am! I love you!!!!

  2. HaPPY BIRTHDAY (yesterday) BeTH!!! Just always know, behind a great man is a great woman!!! You Do Rock, Beth!!! I think about you (all) everyday=) Uncle John + U are inspiring role models/examples-without a doubt!!! We love you!!!

    Rock On,
    Katt Cannon

  3. Oh man, I’m crying over this one! So glad you have each other (and that I was the catalyst to bring you together) to fight this fight and love each other and create such a special family and a loving environment where Tanner feels safe and is safe (Jake too).

    Happy Birthday Beth Page! Love you all!

  4. Happy Birthday, Beth! I am sitting here waiting to leave for church and thought I would jump on and check on Tanner….low and behold, I am on my way to the bedroom to re-apply my make-up. You and your family are such an inspiration to me! Love you very much!

  5. YES I HAVE TEARS NOW TOO……….JOHN BOY WHO KNEW YOU COULD WRITE THAT WELL TOO?? BUT AS YOU SAID IT CAME EASY FROM YOUR HEART. I REMEMBER WHEN YOU AND BETH HAD YOUR FIRST DATE. IT WAS CUTE TO HEAR THE EXCITEMENT IN YOUR VOICE TELLING YOUR STORIES …..LIKE THE TIME YOU WENT OUT I THINK FOR NEW YEARS AND BETH FELL DOWN AND YOU PICKED HER UP AND CARRIED HER……….LIKE WHEN YOU WERE ASKING ME AND JOSEPHINE ABOUT A GIRL THAT WOULD LIKE A GUY LIKE YOU (HAHA) WHO COULDN’T LIKE YOU !!! YOU TWO WERE TO BE TOGETHER NO DOUBLT ABOUT IT. I CAN STILL HEAR THE EXCITMENT IN YOUR VOICE EVEN THO IT WAS ON THIS BLOG. EVEN THO IT DOES NOT SEEM FAIR TO HAVE TO GO THRU WHAT YOU ARE SOMETIMES I THINK IT’S BECAUSE IT TAKES SPECIAL PEOPLE TO DO SO. YOU TWO ARE SPECIAL PEOPLE. BY THE WAY ” HAPPY BIRTHDAY BETH ”

    YOU ALL ARE IN OUR THOUGHTS…………..ANITA AND TRAVIS

  6. I cried buckets too! And a friend at work that has been keeping up with the blog couldn’t finish reading it, she became so emotional. John, I’m so proud of you for being able to express that … didn’t know you had it in you 🙂 (I’m kidding!)

    Beth, I hope you had a wonderful birthday!! Still think of each of you all the time!

  7. Hi Beth, although we have never met I feel like our families have lived parallel lives. A while back my wife Chrisanne informed me of you stumbling upon my son Tanner’s website. While I was suprised to hear you had a daughter that shared the same name and age as our son Tanner. I was even more suprised or should I say floored to hear that your Tanner too had cancer. I finaly gained the courage to look at my Tanner’s website again and came upon your Tanner’s site. Wow, what a nice looking family. You too have very close friends and family to help you all through these tough times. I can only hope and pray that times are better for you now and that Tanner is well. I dont see any updates and that concerns me. If you have the time. Could you please drop a line to either Chrisanne or myself just so we know how Tanner is doing.

    Sincerely, Steve Page inletbound@aol.com or Chrisanne Page nsbsurfers4@aol.com also on facebook friend request.

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