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the birthday boy.

bonus points if you recognize this as a bulldozer.

i have a long vacation post that will come later this week, but a shorter note of great import today: last week, my first baby turned four.

we had a week-long birthday celebration, starting with a birthday party at the grand canyon  with my dad's side of the family on monday june 16 ... then a wednesday june 18 (john's actual birthday) bulldozer birthday party with our dear friends in phoenix and their children - one of whom is almost precisely three months older than john so they're a great match ... wrapped up with yesterday's present-opening-extravaganza featuring all of the presents that were mailed to our house in our absence.

we are so blessed to have so much family - of both the birth-given and the life-chosen variety - to celebrate with our kiddo.

we are also so blessed to have this amazing four-year-old in our lives. he is the most challenging thing we have ever done, and one of the two most beautiful. he is hysterically funny, stunningly energetic, inspiringly insightful, deeply sweet, and the fastest thing on two legs. he keeps us moving, keeps us laughing, keeps us working, and keeps us on our toes. 

i cannot wait to see what the next year holds for this little man, and as i reflect back on the previous four years of sharing our life with john, i am so grateful that he was sent to be our son.

june 18 2010, 3:47 pm seems simultaneously forever ago and just yesterday!

john, hunny, you'll be embarrassed one day when you read this, but your mama thinks you are just about the coolest person she knows, and she is super stoked about sharing even more adventures with you. and she knows your daddy feels exactly the same way.


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