Matt and Josh

Stacey and the birthday boy

Noah on Luke's hammock

Noah working on a hot dog.

Yesterday was Josh’s 1^st birthday, and it was a happy occasion, not just for the little fellow, but for many people. It definitely was for Matt, Stacey, and me, because it afforded us the opportunity to spend some cheerful hours in the car up to Millbury and back. We talked and laughed about many things, but even when the minutes passed in silence, I felt content in their good company. In our busy lives, we don’t spend as much time together as we would like to, and this rather long round-trip journey gave us the chance to enjoy each other's friendship. The celebration was also a joyful occasion for the rest of Josh’s big family. Most of Krissy’s family was in attendance, and it was easy to see the delight in their expressions. I was especially struck by the happiness Krissy’s dad was feeling as he held little Josh on his lap and chuckled and whispered to him. The birthday boy, too, felt the cheeriness of the occasion. He did a good amount of smiling throughout the day, and often bounced around as though he couldn’t contain the good spirits inside him. On the other hand, he also sometimes expressed his contentment by sitting quietly on various laps in perfect peace. It was a day of joyful merry-making, a festival for a good family and a happy one-year-old boy.