Last Wednesday was Paul’s birthday and we had no kids that night so he and I celebrated alone. All the kids came back on Friday so we decided to have his family party that night. As usual, the children’s excitement and enthusiasm leading up to his party were just darling. Sophia was the leader in the event planning. She made the cake (an ice cream cake), wrapped the presents and all the kids together decorated the cake and made the card. The salutation on the card read: Dear Dad/Paul. After a barbecue dinner, and the unwrapping of presents, we all piled into the Suburban and headed down to the county fair to watch The Blue Oyster Cult perform. They were great. The kids had a blast. They went on rides, Paul and I walked around and looked at the animals and the Really Big Pumpkin exhibit. It was a fun, albeit, tiring family outing and the perfect way to celebrate.

I was most touched by Sophia’s leadership participation in the party planning because of my two daughters, she was the most resistant to the remarriage and the move. She does not adapt well to change. We have all been together three years now, in fact, we moved into our new home on Paul’s birthday, and Sophia has really come around to accepting Paul as her step dad, which I think is probably the best birthday present of all.