The Birthday Emotions I Didn’t Expect
I didn’t expect turning the corner from 19 to 20 to feel like such a big deal. Our daughter Penny came into this world two decades ago, on December 30th,…
Happy 16th Birthday, William
William turned 16 last week. We ordered Indian food and ate ice cream cake and sang a song in his honor. The chorus (set to Taylor Swift’s Getaway Car) might…
Turning 47
47 is not a milestone birthday. We didn’t have a party. I didn’t receive any extraordinary gifts. I did, however, receive a pair of the softest pajamas I’ve ever known.…
Our Song for Penny’s 18th Birthday
Penny requested a song on the occasion of her 18th birthday. She also gave us instructions on the tune—we could refer to You Belong With Me or Our Song by…
Penny Turns 18
Our daughter Penny turns 18 today. She’s not at home with us, as it turns out. Rather, she is at a retreat center with a group of other teenagers for…
Happy 15th Birthday, William!
Happy 15th Birthday, William! Henri Nouwen once wrote: Birthdays need to be celebrated. I think it is more important to celebrate a birthday than a successful exam, a promotion, or…
I Didn’t Mean to Go to Another Concert
After we saw Taylor Swift in concert in May, I vowed I would never go to another stadium concert. When William discovered that Beyoncé would be playing in Nashville on…
Turning 46
We celebrated my 46th birthday last week. I have a friend who holds up a sign that indicates his age in every birthday photo now. At this point, they all…
Marilee with her baby cousin
Happy 12th Birthday, Marilee!
Marilee recently pulled out the measuring stick we use for our family and said, "Look at me in 2016! I've grown so much!" And then she said, "And look at…
Happy 17th Birthday, Penny!
Penny turns 17 today! Happy 17th birthday, Penny! A few nights ago at a family dinner, I asked everyone to name something they sincerely appreciate about everyone else at the…
