a dozen years of Caleb

My dear son...

For your 8th birthday you requested, "the crunchy stuff with the brown sauce." And Daddy and I never could figure out what you were talking about.
Tonight on your 12th we stumbled upon "the crunchy stuff with the brown sauce," by accident as a side dish at a Thai restaurant new to us. 

Sorry it took four years...

Thankfully you didn't hold it against us.  That's one thing I can say about you...you manage to be the epitome of "happy go lucky" and very, very rarely find reason to frown or to hold a grudge.

And offering you carbs, especially in the form of Asian noodles (Pad See Ew in tonight's case), for the past four years didn't hurt.

You my son find joy in the simple things.  

A fudgy chocolate cake with Nutella ganache, Coco whip and strawberries elicits that megawatt smile.

I probably shouldn't tell you but there isn't much I wouldn't do for that smile.  Thankfully it comes often.

Watching you blow out your candles reminded us of your amazing sense of humor.  Being around you is pretty much a guarantee to share a few of those smiles.  Your quick wit and often subtle sense of what is funny keeps us on our toes.  I have to pay attention to make sure I don't miss something bound to make me laugh...or groan.

You are one of the most easy going kids I know.  Siblings assisting opening your gifts?  No worries.  You know that in the end the gifts will be in your hands and don't stress about the added hands.

A Barnes and Noble gift card (you're currently wavering between another Minecraft guide book, some Harry Potter stuff or a few Percy Jackson books), a Garmin step tracker, and a set of 64 bb size rare earth magnets rounded out your birthday list.

I think one of my favorite parts of watching you open your gifts was seeing the recognition that I had remembered about the magnets.  While you are spontaneous and fast moving, you do catch details that many others overlook...like the fact that we had seen those magnets together months ago and you realized I had held onto that little detail.

BTW, I'm sorry about the flowers that appear to be sprouting out of your head in your gift pictures.  Of any of our kids though, you're the one least likely to be stressed about something so silly when  you look back on these pictures later.

Ten years ago my heart ached on this day knowing you turned two half a world away from me.  But today my heart soars for knowing you.  You are an "all in" kid...putting your heart, emotions and activity level to the full.  It's interesting to note that in Hebrew, the name Caleb literally translates to "whole hearted."  I suspect that's why God whispered your name to me the very second I saw your picture for the first time.  He knew you would be one to whole heartedly embrace life...

Your happiness is contagious and your personality draws others to you.  May you always be confident enough to march to your own drum and invite others along for the journey.

I am beyond blessed to be the one you whole heartedly call Mom.  With all of my heart, I love you!