Even though the world seems to have pushed pause – everyone still grows older. Bennett is a year older and in his excitement this evening, he awarded this the “very best birthday”. Yes, he’s only 9, but he’s had some great birthdays if I do say so myself – but evidently they paled in comparison to today – quite possibly the only birthday in the history of birthdays that we didn’t even leave the house.

Bennett is our middle child and he makes sure we don’t forget him.

He’s often found singing, very loudly, throughout the house. He’s the first to ask Alexa to play a song and he’s working on memorizing artists and their songs.

He loves to read – probably more than anyone in the family.

He’s our early riser. He gets so upset when he has to go to bed and he knows people are staying up – but the kid doesn’t sleep in regardless of how late he went to bed. We recently had a bed time disagreement and as we talked it out, in frustration he blurted out, “I hate being a morning person, I don’t want to be a morning person!!” As much as he hates it, it doesn’t change the fact that the very next morning he woke up before 6am and couldn’t go back to sleep.

He’s wiling to do things even if he’s not the best or if it makes him look ridiculous. He’s not afraid to laugh at himself. This results in him always having fun – he doesn’t stand on the outside of the circle.

He works best on a schedule and if it’s a minute past noon he will be requesting lunch regardless if we ate brunch at 10:30.

He’s emotional and tender. He can be easily frustrated, but he also recognizes others hurt faster than anyone else.

We had doughnuts and fruit for breakfast (balance in all thing of course!) Home church. Present opening. Games. Requested dinner – hot diggity dogs. And Dairy Queen blizzard cake.

He felt special and loved and in our current environment I couldn’t hope for anything more.