And so, today is Paul's 25th birthday. The birthday is an incredibly empty day for a mother. No gifts to buy & wrap. No cake to bake, balloons to buy. No meal to fix or restaurant to choose. No memory-sharing. No quarter-of-a-century jokes this year.

Today two friends took me to lunch at Olive Garden, pampered me something awful....I loved it and I needed it! I thought I wanted to be alone, but I didn't.

Happy Birthday, Son. I miss you.