March 21, 2008 ~ Happy Birthday Kacie

Just so you know: this has become one of my all-time favorite Kacie Pictures.

I'm sure you recognize it. It was taken one year ago today, while you and your dad and your brother and sister were enjoying the traditional sombrero-and-sundae birthday celebration at Azteca. There's a video that goes with it -- you can see it here -- but the photo all by itself is a tiny work of art. I have a copy of it framed and sitting next to my pencil jar at work, where I can study it and smile over it and field compliments about it, right and left. (Just this afternoon, in fact, one of the maintenance guys in my office looked at the picture and said "Wow! She's cute as a button!" If he weren't twice your age -- and half your IQ -- I might have given him your phone number.) I love this photo because it manages to capture so many of the things I love about you: your style, your humor, your sass, your vibrance of spirit. You are the most uniquely alive person I have ever known.

Plus the Maintenance Guy is right. You ARE cute as a button ... inside and out.

I love you, Kacie!