Abbey's 21st Birthday

Today is Abbey's birthday. My younger daughter turned 21 today.

I spoke to Abbey for a few minutes this afternoon. She was in a good mood, happy with that moment of her life. How much more can a parent wish for than that their children live happy?

Abbey was grocery shopping when I reached her today on her cell phone. She is in Charleston, SC, at the moment. She moved to Charleston a couple of months ago.

Abbey talked about things she'd done today. Among them, she got a library card. As a teacher, that made me smile. Abbey loves to read. And she reads the good stuff, things I read at her age - like Tolstoy and Dostoevsky...

I don't get to see Abbey as often as I'd like. But at least I get to talk to her.

Happy birthday, Abbey.

Abbey's Birthday

When Abbey was young she was inquisitive. We lived in Canberra, Australia, for almost four years; and because my epilepsy prevented me from getting a driver's license back then, we went many places on a bicycle together. I peddled while she sat in the kiddy seat and asked questions. Question after question after question...

Daddy, why is the sky blue?

I know there's some answer to that - something about how molecules in the air scatter blue light from the sun more than they scatter red light. That's a lot to say when you're peddling up hill with a forty pound passenger on your bike.

It's just that way, sweetie.

Well, why doesn't it rain more here?

Because most of Australia is desert and the air here is pretty dry...

I worked to suck more air in so that I could talk while I peddled.

Well then why doesn't it rain less?

I'm sure there had to be some good reason for that, too.

Well, uh...

Does powdered milk come from powdered cows?

I was still working on "rain less" in my head.

Not quite, I said. We’d had a lot of powdered milk when we'd lived in the Pacific and the girls used to wrinkle their noses up and ask if it was "real" milk. I'd tell them it certainly wasn't imaginary...

Is all grass the same color green?

I knew the answer to this one and I liked "yes" or "no" questions when I was the one peddling.

No, I said. Grass comes in lots of different shades of green.

She was quiet for a moment, like she was considering the implications of that botanical fact. I waited for a follow up question. At the age of four Abbey was a pretty sharp child, probably because she was so inquisitive...

Why can't I go to school yet?

Hmmm. No follow up.

Hannah goes to school. Why can't I go to school?

Your sister is older than you, I said. You get to go to school with her next year.

We arrived at our destination. The Youth With A Mission facility in Canberra, where I worked, had a large courtyard; there were other kids Abbey's age whose parents were there for short term training of some kind or other. I unbuckled her from the bicycle seat and she ran off with one of them to play...

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It seems like such a long time ago. Abbey's not a little girl anymore. She still asks simple-but-hard questions and often doesn't like the answers she gets.

On May 20th this week Abbey turns 20. If you read this, Abbey, happy birthday. Cheryl and I love you...

Happy Birthday to Hannah

Happy birthday to Hannah. She's 22 today.

Hannah lives in the Asheville, NC area. I see her occasionally (not often enough) and talk to her on the phone every couple of weeks. I remember her fine, blond hair as a child (it's gotten slowly darker). She had a quiet disposition and developed a love for books at an early age.

Hannah was born in Saipan when I worked out there - a Pacific Islander with blond hair. She loved the ocean. I think she still does.

One day I expect Hannah to be a successful art person - perhaps a painter, perhaps a photographer. She painted the mascot in the front stairway for War Elementary School' annex building. I worked at the school at the time. The life sized Indian chief will be abandoned I suppose next year when that school is closed...

Hannah also painted a rooster for her step-mother, Cheryl. Cheryl loves roosters. We have it hanging in our kitchen.

If you read this, Hannah, happy birthday.