Last week we celebrated the birthday of Maximus Durocher. It was quite an event. We were privileged to be there with the family to celebrate another year of Max.

Sam cooked out some hot dogs and hamburgers on the grill while the ladies got the salads and kids ready to roll. We put the kids on the play porch and the adults at the table. Sam’s family were there as well as Jasmine. Plus, Cyndi and Nate were there with their kids. There were kids everywhere! It was loud and fun.

After we got everyone fed, we had cake for Max. One of his cousins needed to go to the bathroom, so he had to sit and wait for the cake. Pretty much the only thing he had talked about since we got there. When we walked in the door, all he said to me was, “Cake! Cake!”. Then he brought me to it so I could see. Cracked me up. So, when Mick got this picture of him, we thought it was so precious. He was waiting patiently for his crack at some birthday cake.

After the cake time, which lasted about 5 minutes, we moved into the living room for presents. That was more fun of kids yelling at Max to open their present, then those kids playing with the present that they gave him. His favorite present that afternoon was….well….can you guess? FOOD. It was a Fisher Price hamburger. He carried that thing around for the rest of the day.

Meanwhile, Grace was showing Grandpa Art how she could make a quarter disappear. She was working on some magic tricks. So, Sam and Art did some more tricks for Grace. Then Sam went to the closet and pulled out a deck of cards. He brought the big kids over to the dining room for a mini card trick magic show. They were impressed, but not as impressed as when a quarter disappears. Uncle Sam was in his prime.

It was a fun afternoon to be together. They are friends, but they’re really more like family. And it was special to see Maximus celebrate another year of life.