June 15

Today is Isaac's 17th birthday. And it's also the third year in his lifetime that his birthday and Father's Day have fallen on the same date. The first came in 2008, when he was born in the wee hours of the morning. The second came in 2014 when he turned six. And the next? Well, according to our calculations, the next dovetailing of the dates will take place in 2031, when he turns 23. Phew. That's enough mathing for me.

So yes: today we celebrated both the dawning of Isaac's final year of childhood and the blessing of having Adam in our lives.

We kicked off the festivities with an early game for Brady, who smacked a triple --his first of the TVBR big season-- into deep right field just seconds after Isaac told him to hit a dinger. It wasn't quite a dinger, but it was still an awesome hit.

There was much napping in the afternoon during and after the A's game played out to a victory on TV, and then we were off to CPK for dinner. And then it was back home for presents: first for Adam, and then for the birthday boy. Isaac asked for --and received-- a guitar, so hopefully our house will be filled with sweet strumming sounds in the nearish future. And he also received a personalized pillow from Abby that will no doubt become iconic at our house in the years to come. 

Abby then played a slideshow she'd prepared for Isaac, and we all enjoyed his cake pick (spice with cream cheese frosting) and Adam's ice cream pick (pistachio). And that was our day.

It's kind of hard to write focused entries when I'm trying to celebrate two different people so bear with me. First off, I'm grateful for Adam and for the amazing job he's done and continues to do as the dad to our kids. He's patient and kind and understanding, and they know --beyond the shadow of a doubt-- that he loves them to the moon and back and to the moon again. I'm blessed to have a partner who is truly a partner, and I will always be grateful for that and for him. Happy Father's Day, hunny.

And now onto the birthday boy. Honestly, 17 kind of snuck up on me. I've been conscious of him getting older and growing and becoming more of a man, but the reality that he's actually going to be a man in a legal sense in just a single year is startling. Although he's growing up quickly, he still has many of the same characteristics that made him so wonderful when he was younger: he's thoughtful and kind and patient. He's always the first one to offer up an 'I love you' and he's the master of big hugs. Yes, the sweetness that marked his early childhood is still there, and that's a gift to me. And it's also a gift to me to know how much he loves Young Life and spending time with his friends, because having a firm faith foundation and friends you can count on are important building blocks in life. 

I know there are big things in store for him in the future, and although I don't know what's next after he graduates next spring, I do know that he's held firmly in God's grip and is receptive to the plans He has for him, and I am thankful for that truth.

Happy 17th birthday, Isaac. I love you!