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The kids are growing up so fast and this week I had to just step back again and admire how God has used trials to grow us all. It was Carmen's birthday, but we all enjoyed the evening together more like a reunion than a dinner or a birthday.
I picked Carmen up from her dorm on my way home from work and we all enjoyed a great birthday dinner even though Adam was at work and not able to join us until later.
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Carmen is a private person and not much into her birthday, but she allowed her mother and her sister to shower her with gifts, stories and pictures. It was a fun night just to sit back and watch them interact.
I was also impressed with Becca's desire to make this a special evening for everyone else. For many years, it has been a tradition for me to get the camera out and take pictures of the kids as they grow up. At each birthday, I think the kids have grown up enough that they don't want a rigid picture by a cake, but we do it anyway.
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This year was different, Becca already had the camera out and was excited about getting pictures of her sister's birthday. She took a lot of great pictures and avoided the rigid picture by the cake.
Carmen got a lot of books and devotionals and a coat and some other stuff to keep her warm going to class, but we were all blessed with her presence.