Since 7 Is the Number of Perfection...

...those who reach their 77th birthday must be doubly perfect!!  :)

 My dad attained that lofty height today, and we celebrated--as we always do on his birthday--with German chocolate cake.  Because I had neglected to buy another "7" candle, we used our lone "7," then added seven smaller candles to make up for the missing digit.  A poor substitution, according to some of my children.  My dad didn't seem to mind. :)  By the time Jeff turns 77, I'll try to make sure I buy another candle.  ;-)

 Jeff grilled steaks for us, and my sister came for dinner, and it was a special evening...

 ...all because of this special man.

When I think back over the past decade of my dad's life, I'm amazed at all the ways he has adapted to all the changes in his circumstances.  From being a full-time country doctor whose wife was basically functional (even though she was in the early stages of Alzheimer's), to then going through the upheaval of retirement and moving, then watching his beloved life partner decline and grieving every bit of loss all along the way...from being someone who depended on his spouse to cook and clean and do the laundry, to needing to learn to be independent and do all of those things himself (although he would be the first to admit that his current definition of "cooking" consists mostly of pouring a bowl of cereal or opening a container of cottage cheese) ;-)...from being in a mutually-beneficial marriage relationship to then going through all the stages of care-giving...wow.  The changes have been huge.

I admire my dad for the way he's learned new skills, bounced back from every emotional hit, sacrificed to make sure my mom's needs are cared for, and faithfully loved her through it all.  In addition, I'm grateful for his presence in the life of my family and the ways he serves and cares for us.  We are blessed.

And so, happy birthday yet again to you, Dad!  YOU are the gift that this day brings!