SEVENTEEN

Seventeen.

Dominic is now seventeen. This just seems so much older than sixteen. Of course seventeen is older, it is one more year; however, seventeen just seems so big, so close to grown up. In seventeen more months Dominic will go to college.

It was a school day so Dominic spent his day on campus. Luckily it was the last day before spring
break which meant he he had a pretty easy day.

As a special treat, his cousins arrived for a visit today. Exciting to have a birthday and fun visitors. Dominic was excited to have Laura and Adam and their mom Aunt Tina (Steve's sister) here to celebrate his birthday.

For dinner we went to Tutzinger Hof, a traditional Bavarian restaurant here in Starnberg. It was the best way to introduce our visitors to our new culture and celebrate Dominic's birthday. Laura and Adam both tried their first beers too!

The highlight of the dinner had to be the restaurant's birthday celebration. I told our waitress we

weren't going to have dessert because it was Dominic's birthday and we had dessert at home. When I told her, she said, "It's his birthday? You must wait. Do you have ten minutes?". Of course I said yes and I was so glad I did. About 10 minutes later loud music started playing, everyone in the restaurant was looking around and then we realized it was a country-western version of Happy Birthday in English! The waitress came out with a plate of scrumptious treats and a giant sparkler! What a fun surprise! I think we will always go here for birthdays now!

Once we got home we still had to eat our birthday "cake". Dominic chose apple pie. It was delicious if I do say so myself.

All in all, I'd say he had a good day!