Almost done with the work day here, and so I'm taking a moment to wish Drew and Elizabeth a happy shared birthday! We had a grand present-opening morning today, and I finally got to share with them the fruits of my labors for the past few weeks -- an illustrated kids' book called Maggie Mouse and the Squeaky House, based on characters that Elizabeth and I came up with years ago.

I think they both liked it. :) And I have a whole new appreciation for cartoonists and other visual artists. It was a lot of fun to do, but I'm glad I didn't have more than 18 pages in the book. Drew got to help out -- he did all the coloring on the book (though he didn't realize it, because I had him color on blank pieces of paper that I used later to illustrate the book).

To share the love today, I thought I'd link to my three-part Birth Story from Drew and Lizzie's birthday from two years ago. Maybe we'll find time tonight to relive that wild night and morning when we finally got to meet Mr. Drew. It's been a great ride ever since.

And speaking of rides, tomorrow Lizzie and I are off, after dropping Drew with his Grandma, for a six-hour drive to the NC mountains for a stay at "the Bird." Finally. We thought this day would never come. We haven't been on a vacation together, just the two of us, for almost 3 and a half years. Crazy, eh? Later!!!