Twenty-one

Has it really been twenty-one years since this beautiful girl came into the world?  Surely it has only been a day, and yet it has been forever.

I am deeply grateful for my daughter.  From her earliest days she has been a joy, and over the years she has filled our family with stories and laughter and questions and wisdom.  She is great company and a fascinating person.

Monday evening was clear and warm, the perfect time for a birthday celebration on the Fitzpatrick Winery deck.  This vista of Chardonnay grape vines and the extensive Fairplay wine region has been the backdrop for dozens of our birthday, anniversary and ordinary day celebrations over the last twenty-two years.  The tranquility of the summer evening above the vineyard set the scene for our party of four; add to that a bottle of Eire Ban Sauvignon Blanc, and Madelaine was able to lift a glass with us as we celebrated her twenty-first birthday.

Even the setting sun seemed to understand the importance of this day, the celebration that was happening under its layered canopy. Amidst the deep conversation, the kind that crops up around Madelaine so often, we almost missed the beauty behind us. Fortunately, it tapped on my shoulder and caught my attention just in time.

Happy birthday, dear Madelaine. I am so grateful for you!