Gabrielle turns double hands age today...
Happy Birthday Gabrielle!
This morning when I asked Gabrielle how old she was, I noticed that she had to wedge her brush in her arm to put up two hands with 6 fingers. I know that I'm not the first father to think that time goes by to quick, but as I see my youngest daughter flip the double hands age, I have had the epiphany that time really does escape the unsuspecting father and I'm yet again caught in this twilight zone without a chance to regain the time back. I think I have many of the same regrets that father's have about time and the balance between professional, personal and family time but overall I believe I've been good about finding time for my children and I thank the Lord daily for the blessings that he has bestowed on me as a father in this regard. I look forward to the future rewarding challenges that Gabrielle's life brings to me and Debra and our family and I look forward to seeing her turn double hands and a foot age.
Charlotte's Web
As a family tradition, we typically celebrate birthdays with a fun activity and a lunch or dinner to a special restaurant. For Gabrielle's fun activity, we took her to see Charlotte's Web at the movies. It was great seeing Gabrielle enjoy the movie through both the sad and happy moments. During one particular sequence in the movie, Gabrielle started to get the type of laugh that she gets when she anticipates something about happen and then to see the follow-up explosion of laughter when it finally occurs was such a joy. Gabrielle was also quick to point out, to my embarsement in the crowded theater, that daddy was crying but at the same time I was filled with joy when she offered me her hand for comfort. I don't think I have to mention it but Charlotte's Web is one of those jewels of a movie that comes by every now and again and reminds us that Hollywood can produce something that a family can be proud to see. I gave this movie two thumbs up and would recommended it anyone.
Dinner at the Rainforest
Gabrielle has been looking to go to the Rainforest Cafe for dinner for quite sometime so when we asked her where she wanted to go the answer came quickly with little thought. I later found out that she was anxious to go because she had never been before and heard her older sisters speaking of it from their visit in Downton Disney, Orlando. We had a great dinner and we ordered up a "Volcano" for Gabrielle's desert and the waitresses sang happy birthday to her. What was funny was that there were a lot of birthdays tonight and each time someone would get something Gabrielle thought for sure it was for her so when her's finally came it was truly a surprise. We didn't fool her though; she just knew she was going to get one.
Gabrielle's Cheeseburger Birthday Cake
The other night we were at Fred Meyer (a local mega grocery/retail store) and asked Gabrielle to pick out a birthday cake. Showing her personality, she chose a birthday cake that looked like a giant hamburger. Not a typical birthday cake but at the same time the perfect birthday cake for Gabrielle.
Please join me in celebration of Gabrielle turning the big double hands!
