number nine

Well, here we go again, round two of the birthday blogs. Thursday night I said to Molly, "only two days until your birthday." She said, "really only one." "True," I said, and just kind of stared toward her with a pensive look. After about 20 seconds, she said, "dad, you're still forty, it's really not that old." "True too," I said, "but for you the world is young, and you have everything to lose."
Yesterday is a kid in the corner, a wrinkle on MY forehead. She's a Switchfoot fan, so she understood what I meant.
The number 9 is a pretty cool number. This must be a very spiritual year. Three groups of three divisions. Very Trinitarian. compound - triple. Tempus Perfectum, Prolatio Major. A number quite like the one representing our wait for you. Three trimesters of three months each. We waited for you for 9 months, we've had you for 9 years.
This year you'll sing in Eb, A, and B minor with a leading tone. All your songs will have 3 verses, 3 voices, and be in 9/8 time. Your symphony will be in Sonata form with 3 movements and a trio.
Nine years old. Third grade. I hope you don't have to do it three times!
Happy Birthday Molly.