In the words of my free spirited, fun loving, candy craving, five year old daughter, Abbie..
Abbie: "Dad, I know how old you are today!"
Me: "Oh yeah, how old?"
Abbie: "It's a 3 and a 8."
Me: "Oh really"
Abbie: "Yep, and that's really old!"
Me: "Thank you, Abbie"
I have noticed the past few years the joy of having a birthday has picked up with having kids. Growing up, mom always made sure we had a knockout birthday party with a cake to match. Having a birthday in the fall, I always remember inviting friends from school to play football in a pile of leaves. For some reason, the only real gift I can remember from a school kid was an Elvis record. I don't know who invited that kid but he wasn't in attendance the following year.
As we get older through the 20s and early 30s, we kind of just open the cards, with the money falling to the counter, and we go about our work lives as another day. Don't get me wrong..thanks for the cards..I read and appreciate every one..especially ones with money.
But now, having a passel of kids (Abbie counts as two), generates an excitement that is bursting at the seams as they try with all their mite to keep their little bundle of surprises from spilling out. It is so fun to watch. You can't help but go back to your youth and return the excitement. This year I got a bag of Jack Links jerky for hunting, a very large Hershey bar (mostly for them to share with me) and a pair of silky SDSU gym shorts to match Jacob's. We had a pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting. Julia just ate the frosting off of her piece. What joy in simple things. The best part of my birthday is being surrounded with my wife and kids.... And pheasant hunting always just a day or two away.
Abbie was learning James 2:10 for AWANA, which says "For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it." Abbie's version was this, "For whoever keeps the whole law and stumbles at just one point is guilty and out of the game." As Mom kept trying to correct her, she replied, "Well, it's basically the same thing, Mom."
I am thankful to God for His grace to "keep me in the game" for 38 years.
3 comments:
What a great blog- you are right- there is nothing like kids to liven up a party. you have fun because they are having fun. sounds like you had a great day. love you all..
Hey, Brent, Happy Birthday - one day late!! But I think you should celebrate your birthday the whole week before and the whole week after!! It just deserves that much time!! from a 3 and a 9'er to a 3 and an 8'er!!
Sal
Hey Brent...Happy be-lated Birthday! Heard about your hunting trip. Hope it is a great time of re-energizing and "guy fun" for you. I appreciate all the times you supported our "girl fun!"
God Bless all of You,
Jacqueline
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