July 25, 2009

After dinner we turned all the patio lights off in the backyard and did sparkles that we had left over from the 24th. This, the last night my family will be together before we each respectively move away to distant places for a substantial amount of time. I sat back and soaked in the beautiful summer scene- kids running in their own unique directions in the black backyard with the blinding glare of singular sparklers lighting up the darkness. My nephew Camden kept shouting, “I’m a rocket! I’m a rocket!”

In the midst of this, I picked up Camden, like you would a baby, and told him I had a secret.  His eyes lit up, and I whispered “I LOVE YOU” and he giggled and squirmed and I tickled him until he cried. Then I hugged him, hard, and tried to cement this lasting impression on my brain; that when he is 10, 12, 15, 19-going on a mission, 25-getting married, that even then, I will always remember him as this adorable 3 year old full of life and personality, my dear, sweet, miniature best friend. He is one of the great loves of my life.