Nueve

Don't ever doubt the value of your contribution, my babies. That is my prayer for you. May you ever acknowledge splendor and worth in what you have to share, whether it is in working with your hands or your minds or your words or your actions, or each and all of the above. May you find yourselves interesting and clever and sagacious and humble in spirit and strong in will but tender in heart. May you consider your offering to the world and toward your fellow humankind uniquely honorable, a gift only you can give. No better or worse than anyone else's, only equal in necessity. May you never question your capacity or responsibility toward beneficial service and the usage of your talents. Wherever you go, whatever you do, seek to contribute. This is my desire for you.

It is toward this end that I will do my best to remind you of your strengths, to reinforce your natural abilities, to point out whatever skill I see as I observe your ways.

And I will have your brothers and sisters do the same. On your birthdays. With verbal affirmations of what they appreciate in you.

Tyden, as we celebrated your 9th birthday, this is what your family had to say about you:

Jayla: I like how Tyden always spikes up his hair in a faux hawk. He looks really cool like that.

Onyx: I noticed Tyden is working really hard at not crying and having better reactions to things. He's becoming more peaceful that way.

Clover: Any time I ask "who wants to sleep with me?" Tyden will say he will and I like that because I don't like to sleep by myself. I get scared.

Dad: I like it when Tyden gets in his laughing mood. His laugh is big and his smiles are funny and he is able to make other people laugh with his laughter.

Meadow: I like how Tyden likes to build so much with Legos or magnets or anything like that. He can build bigger ships and planes and things than anyone else.

Flint: I liked it when we were doing a wedding and the music was on and everyone was dancing and they were loud and Tyden stopped and said, "let's just chill, man."

Stryder: Tyden will always include everyone when he is playing with Flint and that's good because I don't like to be left out.

Mom: I love the way Tyden tells stories. Listening to him talk is one of my favorite things. He is very animated and detailed and can give you the exact account of what happened, not missing ANYthing AT ALL. I almost feel like I was there when he shares something that happened with me.

Tyden's response when everyone was finished telling him how wonderful he is? "I have to quit playing funbrain because my username is not working. Every time I type in GOOD7789 it doesn't work."



See that? My plan for instilling self worth working. Flawlessly...

Chocolate pie for the non cake man.

Aw, broken-but-tapped up headphones from Onyx. You shouldn't have, buddy. No, really. You shouldn't have...

A painted paper sack from Clover.

Pictures from Meadow.

Finally (!) An actual gift bought with real money from Jayla. Spiderman stickers to cover up his shamefully feminine hot pink DSi that his mom bought for him second hand from a friend's daughter because she's not willing to shell out the cash for a brand new one and DSi playing beggars can't be color choosers!

The whole crew. Contributors, I say. Every last one.