Birthday Love

Joey's birthday is in August. This last year he turned 12. When anyone has a birthday coming up in our family the kids start thinking of what they can make or give the person. The girls especially will make pictures for a couple of weeks leading up to the day for the birthday person. Usually by the time the actual birthday arrives the girls are burnt out on the subject because they've made something for or talked about the birthday almost daily. They even wrap up things from their own room and give presents early. They're all so sweet and generous. Most of them love birthdays as much as I do. : )

For Joey's birthday Jocie made an especially interesting present. I can't remember what she called it, but she knows how Joey likes to invent things so she invented something for him. Joey usually gets slightly annoyed by all the pictures and "junk" the girls give him from their room so I was overjoyed when he made such a big deal over what Jocie had made him. She had put so much thought and time into the "thing." I was concerned that she would be upset if Joey just dismissed the whole thing. He didn't though. He liked it. He could tell that she had tried to come up with something that he would like. I think he respected the fact that she made something with him in mind instead of something with hearts and flowers all over it.

Joey wore the "thing" dutifully and even tweaked it here and there all afternoon. I know this is long past August, but I came across the pictures again today, and I wanted to take the time to remember how sweet and kind the kids are around birthdays.