Happy Birthday to my honey

It's Peter's birthday today! Last year I went ALL. OUT. and planned a HUGE surprise party -that really was a surprise!- to celebrate his 30th birthday.

This year? Thirty-one? No one really cares about 31, do they? That's not to say that we didn't do anything, but it was decidedly more low-key than last year. After working until almost 8pm all week long, not even seeing the boys a couple days AND THEN having a course at the church all day Saturday, we decided to ditch forego church Sunday in order to spend the day as a family. 

After stuffing ourselves on french toast, bacon and OJ, we spent the whole morning sitting on hard, tiny chairs or crouching in uncomfortable positions, riffling through drawer after drawer of Lego in order to rebuild some of the boys' Star Wars Lego sets (which have amazingly remained built. Day three and counting!). 

During Simon and Andrew's afternoon nap, Peter, Liam and I played a board game that Liam had built out of Lego pieces (more on that another day), then some quality father/son time was had (playing computer games *rolls eyes*) while I took a shower. That night we feasted on steak, baked white AND sweet potatoes (yeah, we're fancy), salad, and some yummy gluten-free brownies, and followed it all up with a movie night (we watched the first Toy Story, which our boys still hadn't seen). 

There weren't fifty people jumping out, shouting "SURPRISE!", but fun was had and memories were made.

Now...

I'd like to start out this letter to Peter by copying and pasting the letter that his father wrote him this morning (hi Craig! hope that's okay!). It's too good not to share and I know, years from now when the boys read it, it'll make for some good stories and reminiscing.

Dear Peter,

You were forced to go the bottle route one week after birth because Mom was back in the hospital.  Before turning one year old you rode your walker down a whole flight of cement stairs and scared the Constances out of their wits!  At about two I caught you hanging bow-backed between fingertips on the table edge and toetips on the stool that was sliding out from under you--facing the inevitable cement floor beneath your face!  At four you were walking the banister edge of the balcony ledge at the Bible Institute and dangling your legs out the third story window of Vilmar's apartment.  No wonder he labeled you "el terremoto"*.  And, all that was just for starters.

For whatever reasons you have always had the determined, stick-to-it nature that has served you well these past 31 years.  May God continue to use that determination for his honor and glory in your personal life, your family, your work and your sonship to Him!

I'm a proud Dad, we're proud parents, we love you, and we wish you a great birthday and new year!

Happy Birthday, Peter!

Dad (and Mom)

*little earthquake (his nickname as a toddler)

Peter, this past year has definitely been different than the one before. In your thirtieth year we packed up our family and moved across the country, bought a house in a city we'd never set foot in prior, started a new life with new friends, a new church, a new job, IN A NEW LANGUAGE. We bought a mini van and had a baby. 

This last year saw us become more comfortable here. Settled. Happy. Calgary was home for five years, but we always new we'd be leaving. Although we plan to leave Gatineau/Ottawa, it will always be the place we come back to between postings. Our home base. Our home. 

We have plans for our house. Our kids have friends that they love. We have friends that we love. We're becoming more involved in our church. And this coming year brings with it the prospect of a -hopefully- exciting change of position for you at work. (We still have the mini van.)

We've worked hard. You've worked hard. And like last year, I love you and I'm so proud of you. We might not have celebrated with as much hoopla  furious, secretive planning  mounds of food and drinks fanfare as last year, but I hope that you felt adored and loved and celebrated nonetheless.

We love you.