12 Years

12 years ago today, one of my very favorite people in the whole world was born. Ryan has been an absolute joy every day of the past twelve years. He's one of the sweetest, most even-tempered, most compassionate people I know. He's also very funny, extremely clever, and always has me looking at things in new ways.

For his birthday, he wanted to hang out with friends at our garden then go to a nearby nature preserve for the rest of the day. It was, by all accounts, one of the best birthdays ever.

At the garden, checking out the squash:

He spent a good long time trying to start a fire with a block of magnesium and a pocket knife. He said if he'd had a soda can and a chocolate bar he could have gotten it done.

Packing up his "survival kit" (duct tape, several knives, a flashlight, knife sharpener, magnesium, his inhaler, bandanas, and who knows what else.)

Singing a song about being a monkey:

I swear he does have more than one friend who is a boy.


Oh, if that shirt looks big on Mira, it's because we had to switch shirts after she got cold "wading" up to her shoulders in the creek. If you think she looks funny, you should have seen me.