Thirty-Two and Eight.

On 8/8 of every year since Lars could talk, we have a race to see who will be the first to wish the other “Happy Birthday”.  I beat him last year at 4 am, he beat me this year at 6:30 am. Eight on 8/8/08, he is the best birthday gift I have ever gotten and no doubt ever will.  We had a Lego pool party this year. Eight children and their parents (including my family Kim & Joy and the cousins, Alec, Julien and Bella), lemon cake with vanilla frosting and a Lego creation (his) with butter pecan ice-cream and angel food cake with chocolate frosting, strawberries and vanilla bean ice-cream (always my favorite), and Lego gifts galore for him and gifts of beauty, books and relaxation for me. The very best gift was the presence of people, friends God has gathered up for us in this tropical land. 

Personally, this has been one of my most difficult and downright lonely years (moves, adjustments, questions, wrestlings with God, finding belonging, mothering through the terrible twos…all of this is a tedious work of time), but like a limp flower I am sensing my soul being set in a vase of water.  Revived, refilled, refreshed, ready to go forward into my new year. I am still amazed how 32 has managed to find me…

Our son and budding engineer who can build with anything (esp. Legos) for literally hours at a time, he is growing. New big front teeth, longer limbs and more depth of basking in his boyhood days.  He stood at the front entry way in a paper gold crown holding a yellow Lego ship to greet his guests with gusto and point the way to the pool. Tonight I will ask the Holy Spirit about his movement this year in Larsen’s life so I might join it as he gives me insight and goals to come alongside him with. Write the points on cards and commit them to prayer and deed in this his eighth year of life. 

Our birthdays are especially dear to me for they cannot allude me being right in front of my face and they give reason to celebrate the wonder of being alive.  Benjamin will be 33 tomorrow! Poor Anders has been greatly upset and perplexed not understanding his third will be in December!

How gracious God is to bring us through another year.  Great is His Faithfulness.

PS.  To all of you not at the Great Lego Celebration: Thank you for all of the sweet birthday greetings via Facebook and email notes.  I was very surprised and touched.  Thank you for the packages from my parents and sister Elisabeth~Anne, Miss Trudie and Miss Jodie, and lovely cards from my in-laws. I do adore snail mail. We are grateful to be known and loved.