I’m thinking a lot about birthdays right now . . .

. . . partly because I had one a few days ago, but also because a number of friends also celebrate birthdays near mine. My dear friends the Frenches take it to a whole new level, with about half their family’s birthdays within a couple of weeks. Hope you Frenches have had and/or will have wonderful times together celebrating each other!

It was a little bittersweet for me this year because this birthday specifically reminded me of one of David’s.  The “When I’m 64” post was the last carefree post about our adventures and our easy-breezy life just before his diagnosis. The photo in that post . . .

. . . was also the photo at the celebration of his life less than a year and a half later, so although I still love the photo and of course, all my memories of him, there’s more than one emotion going on.

We’ve had many great birthday celebrations over the years . . .

. . . and likely will again. I will appreciate every one of them.

But now my birthday will forever also be the anniversary of another horrifying school massacre. I don’t even have words for that. All I can do is pray . . . and vote: praying comfort and peace for those grieving and traumatized, healing for whatever evil or madness is running rampant, wisdom and courage to enact better policies to prevent yet another repeat . . . and voting for those who most seem to have the latter.

Meanwhile, the day after my birthday, I started as temporary nanny for this guy . . .

. . . while Chelsea and Brian work and his big brother Beckett is at daycare. So I will be doing my best, loving and caring for this little one (and his brother when I get to see him).  Hope you have someone to hug right now!

“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”  Jesus, as recorded in John 16:33