Sunday, July 7 2019

Dear Journal,

Well, Rodney's birthday party was a wonderful time. Today he came down the stairs after his nap and said "where did friends go?". Maybe I'm reading into it too much, but I was impressed that friends were his first thought, especially since he had a living room full of new toys to play with and a fridge filled with chocolate cake. "You're friends went home, but they'll be back later, dude" I explained. Construction may have been the party theme, but friends was the real theme.

I normally write these in the morning, but I was battling a serious hangover, making breakfast, and trying to get everyone out the door for church on time. Our good friends Adam and Sam spent the night. It was so wonderful to catch up with them and meet their puppy, and they were very gracious to rush out the door with us this morning. After church, we went to Graze with Mimi and Poppa, and a few bites of their kimchi hash was enough to quicken my party-weary body with life again. Well, maybe quicken is an inaccurate. It put me in a good enough mood to take a long nap. A good nap. The kind that's a full REM cycle, and since it's the middle of the way you have weird dreams and it feels like you're coming out of a cryogenic sleep in deep space.

Marissa and I reflected on the party as we sat down to eat the first of many burgers in our backlog of party leftovers. We're so grateful for everyone in Rodney's life. Did you know that most people's first memory is their third birthday party? That's true for me, my wife, and most people I ask. If it's true for Rodney, I can't think of a better first memory. Thanks for showing up and making the party awesome, friends, and possibly being part of his first human memory.

Here's to a great birthday! Time to binge watch stranger things. And maybe break into some of that leftover cake.