River at 2

And while it is still called Today, I would like to point out that in addition to this being my first Sunday at Holy Trinity Church in South Carolina and the high Christian feast of Pentecost, it is also my son's second birthday. While I'm pretty sure he doesn't read my blog, I would like to publicly wish him many happy returns of the day. I'm rather convinced that he's a bit confused: when I ask him how old he is, he says "three!" Then I laugh, he laughs, and I ask him, 'really, how old are you?' And he says, "five!" I give up and let it go. A few minutes later he looks up and says, "two, daddy." He's holding up his hand with his index and middle fingers ever so slightly more extended than the rest of his fingers. I congratulate him.

We have a fenced in, ground level balcony in our new apartment where River already loves to play. This morning while we were getting ready for church he was out there doing his thing, which on this occasion appeared to be reaching through the bars in the fence and pulling large handfuls of pine needles or some such foliage onto the deck. Upon finding him deep in the mysteries of pine-needle-grabbing, I asked, 'hey, whateryou doing?' He replied with wide eyes and a straight face, "I"m making a cheese burger, daddy." To which I of course replied, 'well, good for you.'

My son hunts wallies. I don't know what wallies are, but I found out tonight that they are edible. He announced that he had found some and he had killed some, but then he began eating them and asked if I wanted any. Of course I said yes and had a bite, but I'm afraid I'm still a little unsure what wallies are exactly. But he marches through the house, sometimes with a baseball bat, sometimes in sun glasses, and when he's found his wallies, well then, he kills them and eats them and makes sure to share some with mom and dad.

I really can't say how grateful I am to have a son. He's already such a person, such an individual with his own personality. He's such a joy, a delight, a mystery, a challenge, everything a good gift should be. May God make him a mighty man, and may he serve the Lord all of his days. Happy Second Birthday, River.