My Baby Boy's Birthday

Dear Mama,

Today is Caleb's 24th birthday, can you believe it has been 24 years since that sweet stinker was born?

He's been married for a little over a year now, you would have loved his wedding, it was outside beside a lake and Kaila was driven down the long driveway to the wedding site sitting on the back of a convertible, like a beauty queen in a parade. She's so sweet and perfect for him.

You were there with me the day he was born... you were there when all three of my kids were born. I laugh every time I think about the day Jill was born... I had a doctor's appointment, you were with me, and the doctor sent me on up to the hospital to induce my labor. You said that you should drive, it just didn't seem right me driving myself to the hospital to have my first baby, LOL! But, you weren't really accustomed to my car, its stick shift... so we jumped and jolted our way to the hospital, laughing all the way!

The day Caleb was born, they scheduled me to come in for induced labor (again! my kids seemed to NEVER want to be born on their own!) so things were a little calmer. But you were there and hurried back home to get the girls as soon as their brother arrived so they could visit him, thank you for that!

After giving birth to my firstborn, Jill, with only 5 hours labor, then only 2 and a half hours labor with Hannah, we thought this would be more of the same... 23 days late and TEN hard, painful hours later, Caleb finally arrived, I looked down into his eyes, that looked straight up at me and into my very soul, his eyes looked so wise and filled with laughter even at birth... they smiled back at me (yeah, I know babies don't smile at birth, but I swear there was awareness and humor in that child's eyes that I had never seen before in any other baby), I held him close and whispered to him, "Hello my little friend."

And he's always been a friend to me. He has asked more questions (usually beginning with "what if") than any child I have ever known, he has teased, tortured, aggravated and annoyed... he has made me laugh when I thought there was nothing but tears left inside me. Matter of fact, he's made me laugh till it hurt and more tears (of joy) rolled down my face.

We've been through learning to potty, learning to read, 4-H cooking projects, made up songs, a world of memories I can only begin to scratch the surface of in a few words.

One memory stands out today... it was fall, cool weather had arrived and we were clearing some trees in the back area of the property... Caleb had begged and begged for months for an ax for his birthday (why I don't know!) We had found a small, not too sharp hatchet at the flea market and bought it for him, making sure he knew he could not use it without an adult with him. The Saturday after receiving his new ax, he decided to chop down a pine tree in the back yard, I gave him my permission... the tree couldn't have been more that 4 or 5 inches in diameter... and that persistent child started chopping, making small chops with his little hatchet... he chopped, and he chopped and he chopped... for HOURS! Took him all day to chop down that tree, of course he took short breaks, but he NEVER gave up and would not accept any help from anybody... he chopped till that little tree fell to the ground, to the cheering and applause from his sisters and me! What's the big deal, you may ask? Well... that boy who spent the entire day chopping down a tree just to prove he could do it... was only 4 years old!

But enough for today, Mama...

I heard mine and Caleb's favorite song on the radio just last night, like it had been sent to me in honor of his birthday... "Next to You, Sitting Next to Me" ... We would listen to that song and sing to the top of our lungs along to it as we drove down the road...

I miss you Mama!