July 5

It took 26 years, but I finally saw Adam's entire face this morning. That's right, ladies and gentlemen, he shaved.

He had a goatee when we met in college and kept it the same for a long, long while. Then during his last work sabbatical in 2017, he grew a full beard. (I wasn't a super fan of the beard because I've never been a big facial hair gal, but after a few years passed, I accepted that it was probably here to stay.)

Anyway, when he came into the kitchen this morning, I was taken aback. One by one, the kids saw him and reacted much like Abby in this pic. And their oh-my-gosh reactions made both of us laugh out loud.

It's surreal to realize that I've lived with him for nearly 20 years and didn't get my first full look at him until today. I'm still not entirely sure what to make of it, but I know one thing: with or without a goatee or a beard, he's still him. And I'm grateful to God for that truth.