The entire week of Max's birthday brought packages, gifts, and cards in the mail from friends and family all over the country. For his birthday party, we elected to keep it on the small side and allowed him to invite five friends (siblings and parents were welcome as well).
Sweet pregnant Auntie Carla brought still-incubating Baby Isla.
Patrick prepared the candles and made little ones smile with his perpetual levity.
Micah cheered him on as he blew out the trick candles.
Little Mills brought out the abacus at sunset.
As the evening wore on, Patrick and Gary hung out enjoying the moon and stars while Mary and I "oversaw" the hide and seeking indoors. We all fell asleep with the echo of children laughing under the stars, playing hide and seek, simply enjoying life as it is meant to be lived.
For Max's gift from us, he received nine books and a wooden paddle engraved with nine symbols of special significance.
Max's nine symbols.
