Half His Life

John turned 48 this month.  It seems like yesterday that we were even pushing thirty and here we are pushing fifty.  The time flies.  Half his life ago, John was moving to a new part of the state, enrolling in a new school, starting a new job, and committing to a rather new relationship--ours.  Half his life ago, he chose me and a whole new world.  It was big then, and it feels big now.  Half. His. Life.  I've been there for it all.  And there's been so much.  So many things, events, milestones, and emotions fill those years.  Half a life later, and he's no longer a single college guy setting out to start his real life.  He's an established man with a career and a family.  A man who is looking forward another half life and seeing things like he's never seen them before.  Half a life more and he'll be 72.  I can only imagine what our lives will look like then with Jozsef at 42, Hannah at 30, and all the others somewhere in between...

We celebrate the here and now, because that's all we truly have.  Him,  Here.  Today.  We took advantage of the fact that his vacation and his birthday overlapped.  We started the morning slowly and had a special pancake breakfast.  Then we took our time and enjoyed family play time at the bowling alley.  We shot some pool while we waited for our lane to be available and then we bowled the afternoon away.

Jozsef went to work and we went home for cake and gifts (not ideal that we would divide and conquer in that way, but with another true adult in the house who is launching his own independence, that is just how things flow sometimes).  John and I had dinner out together and when Jozsef returned home and the little kids were in bed, we joined the older boys in the living room for a movie.  The day was punctuated by fun and relaxation--two things that are tough to come by and even harder to get together in our busy family life.  We enjoyed it as fully as we could.

Life races by and too soon we will be looking back at another half a life spent.  May we spend it together well, because family matters and happy memories are among some of the best treasures this life has to offer.

Happy birthday John!  We're glad you're here and we can celebrate you <3 nbsp="" p="">