Chris’s 40th birthday
It was Chris’s birthday over the weekend. He turned 40 and we had planned to celebrate it with a big party with his family from St. Louis and friends from DC. Clearly things were a little different than we expected. Growing up, Dan’s family always made a big deal about each of the four kids birthdays–streamers, balloons, a party. So to recreate some of that birthday festivity for Chris’s birthday, Dan decorated the whole house. We had four friends over and celebrated with a little feast from our favorite neighborhood restaurant with dumplings and fried rice. While it wasn’t what we initially had in mind, it was a special birthday anyway. This is one tradition that Dan is certain will carry through: every year for our child’s birthday, there will be streamers, balloons, cards, and cake. A birthday is an important day to show how much a child is loved and special.