birthday

Thanks for all the kind birthday wishes!

Work was tough today - we have so much to do, and so few resources to accomplish it - my time there can be very stressful, but it was so nice to get home to the girls!

Jenetta made my favorite taco salad and the usual angel food cake with blue frosting.


Sorry I can't show L's face - she was fascinated by the candles - her look was priceless!

Something special happened tonight. At dinner, I had to step away to answer a phone call for a bit and Jenetta went into the kitchen to get something. O immediately decided to get into trouble. She climbed up onto the table and started playing with the chandelier. We have been working with her on being responsible for herself so she doesn't have to be monitored constantly. We still have a way to go on that concept obviously... But after the discipline and talking about it was over, O asked us if we were going to send her away. We told her never - no matter what she did! We love her and would never send her away. She got sad and said her other mommy and daddy sent her away. We held her and told her repeatedly that we are glad they came to live with us.

It came up at prayer time again. O prays lots of things at bedtime. Some are quite real, some are just nonsense made up words. But tonight she asked God not to let her be sent away again. We hugged her and kissed her goodnight, but our words don't mean nearly as much as our everyday presence. It will take time before they feel secure...

Anyway, I was just reflecting on how being a daddy is a pretty cool birthday gift.