Beautiful Day

Happy birthday to a kind, energetic, inquisitive boy
who turned four years old today.

Where has the time gone, Benjamin Felix?

Benjamin and his new bear, Elvis

Family shot

Make a wish

Good night, my four year old

Close your eyes
Have no fear
The monster's gone
He's on the run and your daddy's here

Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful
Beautiful boy
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful
Beautiful boy

Before you go to sleep
Say a little prayer
Every day in every way
It's getting better and better

Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful
Beautiful boy
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful
Beautiful boy

Out on the ocean sailing away
I can hardly wait
To see you come of age
But I guess we'll both just have to be patient
'cause it's a long way to go
A hard row to hoe
Yes it's a long way to go
But in the meantime

Before you cross the street
Take my hand
Life is what happens to you
While you're busy making other plans

Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful
Beautiful boy
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful
Beautiful boy

Before you go to sleep
Say a little prayer
Every day in every way
It's getting better and better

Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful
Beautiful boy
Darling, darling, darling
Darling *Benjamin

We love you, Benjamin!

Song lyrics by John Lennon, Beautiful Boy

Field of Dreams

The imaginings of childhood are bold. All things are possible and dreams will come true, you know, soon.

So when Benjamin tells me with conviction that he will play with the Texas Rangers, I can’t help myself. I believe that it’s true. His enthusiasm is as convincing as it is precious.

When a little boy with dreams this big is given tickets to the Rangers game, expectations are high. Benjamin was not disappointed by our big day Saturday. He was surprisingly quiet and at times even solemn as he took in the details of the game we’ve watched so loyally these past months on television. His excitement was not for the celebrity of the players or the big bucket of popcorn; he just loves baseball.

first look at the field

taking it in

glove at the ready

go Rangers

gotta have the popcorn

a couple hours in, tired and sweaty but still wearing the glove

what a day

home trying out the bat

When we got back home to our own field of dreams, Benjamin was ready to resume the game he's been playing now for a few months. As he hit the ball with his new wooden bat, I wonder what images were running through his little boy brain after a day at the ballpark.

Hit!