*** Toys and Time ***

Today, we decided to stop by the local Toys R Us. As usual, Benjamin ran to the back of the store to try out all of the trikes. However, he was eyeing the bikes and wanted to try one on for size. To my surprise, he hopped on and was soon pedaling down the aisle.

It is simply amazing to think at how quickly time passes. I decided to pull out my archives of photos and see what was happening a year ago. Benjamin was thrilled to sit on a friend's rocking horse and pretend to ride. He wasn't pedaling a trike yet, and he spent a lot of time pointing and saying "Daaaa" or "Ma Ma".

A few weeks ago, it was a day for just Benjamin and Dad together. I decided to take him to see Toy Story 3. I didn't realize how much it would pull at my heart strings. It reminded me of something profound that I read just before Benjamin was born, "Our children only have one childhood and it is up to parents how it turns out."

We do all we can to make sure that Benjamin is having the best possible childhood he can. We both agree that no matter what happens, Benjamin will know that he is loved.

A wonderful friend said that the goal of parents should be to ensure that we teach our children to be self-sufficient and that hardship is as much a part of life as breathing. That is some very good advice that we will try to follow.

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