Birthday Roses

For as long as I remember, Mom and we girls have received a rose bouquet from Dad for our birthdays. My earliest memories of this tradition include a single rose and baby's breath from a local florist bought on the nearest date Dad had errands in town. Then came Sam's Club and Costco and their packs of two dozen roses. At first we girls often shared a bouquet at some time throughout the year, but recently Dad has been spoiling us with large bouquets of our own. Since these stores aren't a part of our weekly or even monthly routine, we sometimes don't receive our roses for a few months. This year brought  Dad to Costco on December 18, one day after my birthday. More than a week later I was still soaking up the beauty of these fading blooms and the fatherly love they represent.