Happiest.of.birthdays.to.Ava

So everyday

I was surrounded by the beautiful crying forth

of the ideas of God,

one of which was you.

{Mary Oliver}

Our irrepressibly sweet 5 year-old became a 6 year-old this morning.

She graduates from kindergarten in just a few short weeks.

She is our last child and, although I want to share in the completeness of her joy at moving on, I falter because a big piece of me mourns this irreversible transition.
The realization that I'll never be a mother of a kindergartener again stings and yet,
how can I not be overcome with joy at how good and full she is
in her embrace of this new thing in her life? Ah, the very crux of life and change!

Her only request for her special day?
To have a cheeseburger for dinner.
And the very thought of that gave her such delight.

Really, where would I be without these little people reminding me
to delight in all the small things???