Tuesday, February 16, 2021

Does this shirt make me look eleven?

"Mama, I know your 10th birthday is a big deal, because you're double digits. And 13 is a big deal because you're a teenager. But 11 isn't really a big deal, right?"
*
Oh my sweet boy.
You will never have a birthday that's not a big deal.
You will always be our miracle.
You don't get to take birthdays for granted. 
Sorry not sorry, kiddo.

(Bodie even helped make his cake this year!)

COVID might have made it a little harder to celebrate like we'd have wanted, but we made it work. 

Bodie has recently developed a really sweet tight knit group of local boys his age who are also homeschooled.  It's all outside these days (thanks to COVID), and they're all country boys, so it's a little bit Lord of the Flies, but it's so awesome. 

We invited them over yesterday and had an epic Nerf battle party 
We were able to keep everyone outside and (mostly) with their masks on - Nerf protective gear for the win! 
Even the big sisters got in on the action.

The smile on his face says it all (well, it says he needs to pull his mask back up, but it also shows his sheer happiness). 

Sierra made a pretty epic fruit and veggie platter.

Birthday candles, COVID style. 
Ain't no way we were letting this kid blow out candles on a cake that was about to be eaten by others. Ha!

Last night, Bodie said to me "Mom, I know I say this every year, but that was seriously the best birthday party I've ever had."
I couldn't agree more.
Getting to watch him run around for 2 hours with the sweetest group of boys who love him as much as we do, and hearing him laughing hysterically...that was truly the best birthday gift I could have imagined for him. 

Our kiddo has found his tribe. 
A bunch of Lego building, Nerf gun shooting, "let's make our own tribe" boys. 
And we are profoundly grateful. 

So yes.
10 is a big deal because you're in double digits.
And 13 is a big deal because you're officially a teenager.
But when you're 11 and -
you've had 6 heart surgeries
and 5 heart catheterizations
and countless blood draws, x-rays and other procedures
and spent far too many nights in the hospital - 
11 is a big deal.
A very very big deal.

Happy Birthday to the bravest kid we know. 
We could not possibly love you more.

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