I discovered nighttime photography! . . .

I've got a whole series of this crab apple tree at night, I find it rather stunning!

Ok, gotta go teach.

Haha!

Today, Ben would have turned 22 years old . . .

Each year is different approaching a day like this.

This is the 7th birthday we haven't been able to celebrate together with Ben, so I never expected to just be standing outside in the yard during my lunchtime yesterday and hit with...."Whoa, I am never going to see Ben again!" Like it was just this year. And then, I had to go teach again.

A Link to the past, with more links to the past: http://pierceadventures.blogspot.com/2022/05/today-ben-would-have-been-21.html

Here are a few things that brought me joy today on a date that doesn't just naturally ring with joy since 2017, it (joy) needs to be noticed now, and I'm grateful to notice it!

My first hour student, a senior, brought these to me on our last class together.

I started this day with a beautiful little arrangement of flowers.

Joy!

And she shared these sentiments with me.

Joy!

In the afternoon, this 7 year old's birthday party from 2008 popped up in my photo library memories. I've been teaching all day and not looking through photos, so this is the one birthday memory that's coming my way this year. And, wow, what a colorful, happy picture that is!

Joy!

This evening, Livia and I found time finally to shop together for confirmation weekend clothes (this is quite an event for someone most comfortable in sweatpants, whew! But we had some excellently compromising success, ha!). Upon our return home to some beautiful evening sky colors, we remembered Ben with our annual birthday dessert. This year two pieces of tres leches for Livia and William and a piece of lemon burst for me.

Joy!

November 2016.

Ben's last weekend here, he died a few days later.

May 3rd, 2017 was the first May 3rd without him since 2001.

My joy is found in the Lord, there is no other way!