Celebrating 57 - the Year that Was

Yesterday we celebrated a special day and I'm calling it a celebration of the year that was,

since technically I was still fifty seven and I've enjoyed this number, 

the age that lines up with my birth year, 1957. 

I know . . . I'm kind of strange that way.

It was the kids that suggested Stanley Park and I could not have thought of a better place to go

on a Sunday afternoon.

For some it was the first time looking for shells . . .

or digging toes into the sand

or feeling the cool ocean water.

One of the joys of getting older is to see everything old

from a new perspective.

It's fun to see the look-a-likes,

new smiles on the block,

Papa kissing chubby arms

and taking turns holding the youngest ones.

I'm blessed by family 

and by memories in old, familiar places,

that we enjoyed before we ever had dreams of a family,

blending into another and even the next generation of memories to keep.

I'm looking forward to what this next year has in store,
especially the anticipation of seeing our Indonesia family.