July 3 – “Happy birthday, Nathan Vaughan”

Yep.  Great day to have a birthday, the day before a major holiday.  In fact I remember someone telling Nathan when he was very young that the whole country was celebrating his birthday.  Fireworks and everything, just for him.  Must have been one of his older brothers.  Of course that lasted only until he really listened to the TV announcers.  Then we had to tell him that they felt bad for all the other kids who didn’t have a birthday that day, so they just included the whole country in his birthday celebration.  He took that one with a suspicious twist of his head, as I recall.  And now today, twenty-nine years later, he has to go to work.  Twenty-nine years.  Wow. Nathan.  You are almost old.  And on top of it all, he’s a fire fighter, so he would just as soon the fireworks stay out over the beach so he doesn’t have to extinguish the flame of someone’s home.  Be safe today, Nathan.  And happy birthday.

Yesterday we cleaned out Mom’s bedroom.  Packaged up all her clothes to be donated and gathered together all the little keepsakes she received through the years from her great-grandkids.  Chris wasn’t letting any of those go.  In fact she remembered the story that went along with many of them.  We even found one interesting treasure.  It was a gift card stuck to one of the hundred or so old birthday and Mother’s Day cards she kept.  It didn’t seem to have an expiration date on it anywhere.  We’ll have to try it to see if there is any balance on it.  Next we rearranged the furniture just to give the room a new look.  That meant bringing back in the bed that matches the dresser and vanity table.  We had switched that out with the bed in the yellow bedroom because this bed caused the mattress to sit too high off the floor.  Mom had a difficult time getting into and out of it.  The room definitely has a different look and feel to it now.  And we have six bags of clothes to deliver sometime today or tomorrow.  I’m anxious to see what Cailyn thinks of the changes.  She is due to spend the day here today while her Mom and Dad both work.  I think Chris is planning a trip to the library, and that usually means a stop at the fire station to see Daddy.  Maybe they can take him a cake or some of those pointy-top hats and some noise makers.  Hmm.  This could be fun. 

Psalms 71:17-18 says, “Since my youth, O God, you have taught me, and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.  Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your might to all who are to come.”

Father, protect Nathan and the other fire fighters on duty today here and all around the world.  And help Nathan and his brothers (blood and otherwise) to continue to declare your marvelous deeds to the next generation.  Amen.