Is a handsome (don’t need to tell you that if you’re reading this post, you’ve got eyes and can see for yourself,  he’s one good looking cat), talented, funny, bright, kind, a true friend,a joy to be around and happens to be the best birthday present I ever got.

(me holding the best present I ever got)

He came to world on May 10th, 1981. On that same day, four years earlier, I joined the human race. Which is to say we share a birthday. And without a doubt he is a gift. To me, to my family, to all who know him, to the world at large.

Let me tell you just a little about him.

Ian is a love. He really LOVES people. When he was made a bishop the Stake President said to me with tears in his eye, “Ian has bishop love in his veins.”

And the person he loves the very most is his wife, Allison. He’s completely devoted to her. He is so deeply connected to Allison it sometimes is hard to separate them in my mind.

He is 100 % true, through and through, to her. He loves her so much. And she loves him right back. His love and devotion to her is one of the many things I love  about him.  You know those couples who just make you happy because they are so happy. Well, that is Ian and Allison. When you are with themyou can just feel their connectedness, their happiness, their love for each other, their enthusiasm. They are both so enthusiastic. They are like little kids! And you just want to be NEAR  them. They are so much fun.

He loves his nieces and nephews and boy do they love him! He is an off the charts, so cool you can hardly stand it uncle. He is just such a blast. He puts his whole heart into his relationships with the little people in his life. He gets down on the ground and rolls around with them, he listens to them, sings with them – he does it all!

Uncle Eno loves his little peeps and he is loved in return.

He loves baseball and is particularly devoted to a certain ball club.

He took Jan to his first Yankee game when we moved to the States five years ago. They now share the “Yankee bond” and have been to more games than I can count, including flying to other states to see their boys in action. People, we are talking devotion. True devotion. I remember one year for his birthday he went to a Yankee Red Sox game and I actually prayed that the Yanks would win so that Ian’s birthday would be a delightful one.

Ian is real, he is down to earth. He lets you know what is on his mind and in his heart. You don’t have to wonder with Ian.

He is a tender hearted fellow. He is not ashamed to show his emotions. He cries at movies and doesn’t feel the need to hide those salty wet things that fall from his eyes.

He loves the Lord and is devoted to His work. Ian knows how to serve. The man works hard to do what is right.

Ian is FUNNY. And when I say funny, I mean F – U- N- N – N – Y! Few people can get me laughing harder than Ian.

Ian is shiny.

What do I mean by this? I will tell you a story to illustrate: Ian, Cameron and I took a writing class together last year in NYC. The class was full of really wonderful people. They were a bunch of New Yorkers, but they weren’t super crusty & cynical (like New Yorkers can often be). This was a group of  kind people. But even amidst a crowed of top notch, good people my brothers stood out. Once I remember sitting across a table looking at all the faces of the people that I really loved in this class. When I looked at my brothers their countenances were shining. There was light coming off of them. (BTW, Ian is an excellent writer and is writing a swell screen play. He is a man of many talents).

I think Ian’s light is generated by his very good heart.

He is honest (ask him to tell you about the 47 inch TV at Sears story sometime).

He is kind.

He cares about the needs of others.

He is a good, good man.

And I love him.

Happy birhtday to us, my little Bro! I am so glad you were born!