Today (Wednesday) we celebrated the tenth birthday of our beloved Firstborn. Impossible to believe that it has been ten years since those very first contractions, that first labor of love, and those first blessed moments of holding this tender little boy in our arms. And to see him now making new friends, playing baseball, and performing in piano recitals, it is humorous to imagine how we sometimes fretted over his cautious toddler personality. But for my Firstborn, the most recent blossoming of maturity has been his discovery of selflessness. These past few months I have witnessed as he voluntarily takes on tasks that are not attractive or without reward because he recognises the communal value. I have seen him generously give to a sibling or friend some small pleasure or treat at cost of his own enjoyment.

Sacrifice. As Catholics it is a term we use frequently and a habit we try to develop and yet it is so difficult to convey meaning and value of such an idea to our children. But, in looking back over these past months, I see that my once delightfully dependent and decidedly needy baby is learning this lesson in small ways. He is cheerfully shouldering new responsibilities and looking for ways to contribute to family life. His baby steps toward manhood have a larger stride and greater confidence than ever before. But in the meantime, we are embracing and enjoying these last years of boyhood.

Dear Son, we love you and are so very proud of who you are. Happy birthday!