Birthday snapshots

My first baby turned 10 years old on Saturday. TEN.

I felt like I should have been marking that milestone in some big, important way, but Eldest was content with our usual birthday traditions -- presents from his family over breakfast, a party with friends at the park, dinner at home afterwards.

Since it fell the day before Easter, that was about all I could manage anyway. I do plan to make him a scrapbook of his first decade when the Mac harddrive gets back from the shop.

 My darling boy, we are so very proud of you. Your enthusiasm for life, your compassion for all living creatures, your enormous laugh and broad smile, your sensitive spirit, your never-ending curiosity about the world around you -- you inspire us to care about "the least of these," to listen better, to keep learning, to love more deeply.