D.J. doesn’t think of the people in his life as step-parents or half-siblings. They’re all part of his family, as far as he’s concerned, and he must have been pleased to see so many of them watching and cheering for him at his Tiger Cub graduation today. I know he wasn’t overwhelmed, because he took it all in stride. It was just something everyone does. His family comes to see him on his special days.

And I have to say he was extra-charming during the ceremony, flashing that big grin and showing off all the badges and pins and whatever else he earned during the past year. Now he moves up to some other animal, bobcat or wolf or some such thing. I’m not up on (or into) scouting all that much; I just go along for the photo ops.

Aiden has been suffering from ear infections, and taking the rest of the family along with him, but he seemed his usual cheerful self. He wished me a happy birthday, but by now he must think that every day is everybody’s birthday. He had his own stretched over several days a week ago, and today was his daddy’s birthday. (That part is true; David turned 25 today.)

Even Kylie had a half-smile for me today, which is fifty percent more than I usually get.

It was such a family day today that I got up early enough (on a Sunday morning!) to see most of Eric’s baseball game. This was one of the games he plays at a park close to my house, so even though I left home half an hour late, I didn’t miss much. I did have to leave before it was over, to make D.J.’s function, but by then the game was well in hand. For the other team, but still.

And then, after all this activity, I came home and took a bunch of pills and put ice on my wrist. I’m trying to keep myself healthy enough to last until the next graduation. There are times when I think I’ll be lucky to make the next game, as far as that goes. I’m trying to do everything the doctor tells me to do, so that I don’t have too many days of ice packs and pain pills. It’s working on the blood pressure, which seems to be fairly consistently down these days. Now if I can get the tendonitis under control, I’ll be seeing things a little brighter.