Five was one of those years that seemed to fly by. I feel like you just turned five and now you're six? How did that happen?

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Even crazier for me to think about is that when we left home three and a half years ago, Elliott was still a toddler in diapers. And now he's six and [riding a bike](https://luxagraf.net/jrnl/2020/12/learning-to-ride-bike) and [backpacking](https://luxagraf.net/jrnl/2020/10/walking-north-carolina-woods). 

You'd be hard pressed to find a sweeter kid than Elliott. I know I am biased, but I keep waiting for him to turn into, well, a little boy. A little boy like I remember being, up to no good all the time. So far that just hasn't happened. He's the kindest, most thoughtful person I know. His sisters have no idea how lucky they are.

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Happy birthday Elliott. I have enjoyed the past year, strange though some of it has been, I have enjoyed it. I've enjoyed it with you.

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I like that you enjoy doing the unusual things we do, that you like figuring out how to make things work, that you always want to go over the next rise and see what's on the other side, that you always want to keep doing everything for just two more minutes. I know you won't always be a little boy, but I sure am enjoying it while you are. I hope you're enjoying it too.

And sorry about all the ribbon, it won't happen again.

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