June 15

Isaac turned eight years old today. Eight! A lot (lot) has happened since that day in mid-2008, but in some ways, it still feels like he's a very little boy. He's sweet, kind-hearted, generous, contemplative, and patient. He is truly a good person and tries to do the right thing, so I had to do the right thing this evening when he told me where he wanted to go for dinner: I had to go to Chuck E. Cheese.

Between the dirt and the poorly behaved kids and the lazy (or maybe 'nonexistent' is the word I'm looking for here) parenting, it's not exactly my favorite place, but my kiddos love it. They love the pizza, the games, and the whole experience. I wasn't in the best mood when we got there; there were few tables available and I was tired and annoyed that my attempts to try to sell him on another dinner locale had failed. But halfway through my second or third slice of pepperoni pizza, I looked around at the faces at the table and suddenly felt a deep sense of satisfaction. These are my people. These are the people in my life who know me and love me and respect me and understand me better than anyone else on the planet. And if I have to spend an evening in a place I don't really want to be, I'd rather spend it with them than anyone else.

Happy birthday, Isaac!