Tag Archives: birthday

Happy Birthday to my Favorite Friar!

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Happy Happy Birthday to my sweet son, Brother Peter Joseph!

He is having  his first birthday as an official Dominican.  He is a festive friar today!

And it’s hard to not have him here to hug in person, though over the college years and novitiate, I have gotten to practice that.  But, this year, I’m sending emissaries on my behalf; Tom and three of the girls are on their way to deliver my hugs and wishes, loaded right on top of theirs.

Birthdays for your kid when they are a religious are a little weird, for us at least.  Because what with that vow of poverty and all, we are not really supposed to give presents.  Hmmm.  Which seems to be harder on us than him.  He’s doing that detaching from worldly goods thing pretty well it seems.  Us? Not so much.  That urge to GIVE to your kid to mark the day is really bigger and more ingrained than I ever realized.  Poor Tom struggles with it even more as one of his love languages is gifts.  He is a giver.  He just wants to GIVE something.  So, he’s giving presence this time, in lieu of presents.  Which is, of course, the best gift of all.  {Unless, of course, the visit slips into crazy-making zone…which is likely, every time.  Family, gotta love us, but we are a burden in our own way…ha!}

So, today I will instead of wrapping up a new soft sweater or the perfect quirky something I will be wrapping up a spiritual bouquet of prayers for my son.

And, there might or might not just be a cake, special courier delivery (dad), on the way…..

Happy Happy Birthday Peter Joseph.

We love  you so.

Another year older

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Again.

49 times now.

It keeps on happening and I am finally learning to embrace it, enjoy it, own it.  I’ve written before how I used to play it down and kind of zip through it as quietly as possible.  No longer.  Now I try hard to  just wake with a prayer of thanksgiving and sit back and enjoy the day.  Nowadays,  this day brings unexpected gifts…..it seems to come with more sagging and bagging and tired, but then again it also brings greater contentment, acceptance and I daresay, even a tiny bit of wisdom and much  more joy.    Really.  I wouldn’t go back for anything.  Which works out well since, of course, I cannot.

The Old Lady, by Bernard Safran, 1970

And now I am on the cusp of fifty.  The forties have been really good.  Life in the forties has brought many changes and challenges, perhaps more and  harder than any other decade.  And yet, I have found my heart expanding and my happiness growing.  Which is the greatest of gifts.

I woke to streamers and cupcakes in my kitchen (thank you godkids and Jean!), and multiple happy hugs from my kids.  Gabey keeps saying, “I’m so happy it’s your birthday!” It just makes me grin at the sweetness, every time (tho really, I think he’s happy due to the promise of cake…even so….).

Me too, buddy, me too.