Tonight, we celebrated my brother Christopher's birthday.
Honestly, I don't even know how old he is turning;
he is just alive and doing well, which is all that matters to me.
Our family came to Fox Hill to swim, eat ice cream, and sing to our brother.
Months ago, when we found out that Topher was diagnosed with
ALS, I asked Lisa what her favorite photo of Topher was.
She sent me this:
Then I asked my dear friend and talented artist, Beth Allen,
to paint that portrait of him. It turned out perfect.
He and Lisa were happy with it.
We all commented (and loved) the details, like his
freckles and the little gray hairs in his beard.
Topher, I love you so much.
Happy birthday, my brother!
And then Lottie (the mouse) fell asleep.
It was a long day of cousins, swimming, and ice cream.
That's a lot for one mouse!
