NASHVILLE

A round of applause for Patrick!

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As Valentine's Day approaches, I just have to brag a little bit on my man. It's only natural. First of all, isn't he handsome? IMG_1020Now that we have that out of the way, let me tell you some great news. Remember how we went to Seattle earlier this year? Well, we weren't just there to hang out and eat oysters, ride ferries, and sip coffee in the rain (although we definitely did all of those things and they were awesome).  No, we were actually there so Patrick could take a class. During that class, Patrick wrote a "demo," or in other words, a really long-ass appraisal like a thesis that has to be utterly perfect. Then, at the end of our trip, Patrick submitted his demo to a board of reviewers, and we went home.

Then, we had to wait for weeks to find out if what he submitted was up to snuff. Just after Christmas, we found out he passed! Thus ended a five-year journey toward this big ol' promotion. Since 2007, Patrick has been taking classes, tests, and logging hundreds of thousands of experience hours to earn a designation in the commercial real estate field called "MAI," which technically doesn't stand for anything, but if you must know, it used to stand for "Member, Appraisal Institute." This past week, he finally received the official designation!

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IMG_1044I'm really proud of him. Oh yeah. And he brought me flowers and a surprise for my birthday. What a stud.

Okay bragging over. :)

The Green-Humphreys

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There are two things you need to know about Kim Green and Hal Humphreys. First, they can hold their liquor. Second, they're the most generous people you'll ever meet. In due time, everything else you'll learn about them is just witty, intellegent, international-traveling, magazine-owning icing on the cake. But there's a third thing you need to know. Yesterday was Kim's birthday.

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Rolf and Daughters, Nashville Tennessee

Kim's the type of writer/editor/friend that you dream of—the kind that makes you better, isn't competitive, and is always doing big and badass things that make you strive to do big and better things. Exhibit one: Kim took an extended trip to Cambodia for a project she's working on. Exhibit two: Kim and Hal are running their very own magazine for private investigators. Next to Patrick (and my mom of course)—Kim has been the number one supporter of my writing career since since before it even started.

If it's all a little confusing to you, don't worry—you're probably not alone. Some of us think they're just in the CIA. But in typical Green-Humphreys fashion, they will neither confirm nor deny anything.

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Either way... happy birthday Kim! Here's hoping 2013 is full of sugar daddys, good wine, and maybe a joint trip to Belize? I don't know? Is that a stretch?

Bonus photo:

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