Today is awesome.

Today is a very good day. Wanna know why?

1. Owen Daniel turns 3! Happy Birthday to our favorite nephew!

This is from way back when he was two. Already so cool. And the sweetest boy you'll ever meet.

(photo by the wonderful Steve Tucker)

2. The Illinois senate voted to abolish the death penalty! Now the governor just has to sign the bill (which he's expected to do) and the death penalty is off the books in Illinois. Now, we just gotta work on the rest of the country. We're coming for ya, Texas!

This pic is an oldie but a goodie. Here's Nate and I a few years back sitting in at the governor's mansion for Kenneth Foster. On the day he was scheduled to be executed, his sentence was commuted.

3. It has been snowing all day. It's so, so beautiful. And I'm so grateful that we have warm coats and waterproof boots.

This is what it looks like from my office window:

Hope you are all having awesome days, too! Especially you, Owie!