A Big Birthday Boy

Last week, Luke celebrated his 17th birthday! 

He and I went for our usual birthday lunch at Five Guys.  Here we are just before setting out.

                                     

I love my time with the kids on their birthdays. Just them and me for a few hours.  Because Luke is practically a man, our conversations are very different than they used to be.  Time has flown by!  Some of the things he used to be interested in when he was a boy have fallen to the wayside as his interests have changed.  But some things have stayed the same.  Like his love for being outside.  And his love of digging. 

This year, to his delight, he received 2 shovels!  The one from us was a particular request of his. 

A Fiskars shovel.

   He opened it at breakfast.

I guess maybe there aren’t too many things more thrilling at breakfast on your birthday than the shovel you’ve been wanting. I’m so glad he was that excited!

And then there was the second shovel!  Grandpa and Grandma found this really cool camping shovel for him.  The handle folds up to make it easier to stow in a backpack.  Luke loves backpacking.  He has been several times with Glenn, sometimes with friends and siblings, and I think maybe once it was just the two of them.

Because Mom wasn’t quite up to traveling yet since the car accident last year, she and Dad skyped with us while Luke opened his gifts.  It was the next best thing to them being here in person.

                      

Birthdays are exciting stuff around here – as you can see by the celebrating going on in the family room just before singing, blowing out candles, and opening gifts.

                          

                       

We love you Lukey!!  Happy Birthday!!