Stone is five today—he flashes a whole hand to show his age now—and he’s thriving.  I’m just so grateful he’s alive.  Is that a morbid thought, and will I have it on his birthday for the rest of my life?  Thanks to countless supporters (including all of you!) and millions in medical care, we didn’t lose him when he was two.  

Instead he dressed himself this morning, he chose his own birthday theme, and he let me put gel in his hair.  He has hair!  It’s brown now, not the blond he had before, but it’s thick with two cowlicks in the back and my mom kissed them today as he slid off her lap to run play with his new toys.  Even though he and Jack have their own beds now they still snuggled up together tonight, listening to thunder, their new light sabers rolling out of their dimpled hands only when they passed out, exhausted from so much fun.  Every day, every season, every year is a gift, as is every minute of health and hospital-free air.

We may not always have whole hearts, but we can wholly embrace living and loving. Stone does.