Caleb
Fourteen years have literally flown by! Caleb came into the world as an upset infant, but as soon as he was mobile, he was the happiest child – and has stayed that way (for the most part). We are so grateful for his lovable and humorous attitude that helps him interact well with each of his sisters differently.
Birthday Breakfast
Having a birthday during the week usually means we get to celebrate over a number of days, trying to fit everything in. We got up early on the actual day to have a special M&M pancake breakfast and open gifts before school.
Styling with His Gifts
The following day, Friday, when everyone was home for dinner, we had Caleb’s requested birthday meal – shish kabobs, rice, and spinach salad. Saturday, we pulled Caleb out of his gym training early and took him out to lunch at a local Tex-Mex restaurant, Chiquitos, before going to the theater to watch “Big Hero 6”. Caleb decided he didn’t want a cake for his birthday, but would rather have root beer floats. We had those Sunday for our Family Home Evening treat. Nothing like making your birthday last for days!
Chiquitos’ Lunch
This year has been a memorable one for Caleb as he started attending school. He was really liking his homeschooled life – pushing through each morning to finish his school work by noon so he could have a few hours to himself before going off to gym training. The thought of changing that comfortable life was hard for Caleb to accept, but we encouraged him to try school for a year to see how it went and how he could handle his other responsibilities.
Caleb’s First Day of School
Every so often after school, I’d ask Caleb, “If you had to choose at this moment whether you came back home to homeschool or stayed at school, what would you choose?” In the beginning the answer was always ‘come home to homeschool’ then eventually the answer became ‘undecided.’ Now, the answer is ‘definitely stay in school; I love it!’ I was so happy to hear that answer, thinking he was loving what he was learning and really starting to grasp how great an education can be. When I asked him what his favorite parts of school are, the answer came, ‘my friends.’ He explained that he always thought he had enough friends through gym and church, but it wasn’t until he started school that he realized how important having other friends – that are different than you – can be.
We are grateful for this amazing guy. He is a hard worker in everything he does. He is a perfectionist in the gym and his own worst critic.
High Bar – Elite Nationals 2014
Caleb is also a great teammate and a good example to all those around him.
Heathrow Boys’ Sr. & Jr. Teams
We can’t wait to see what the next few years bring into his life! Happy birthday, Caleb!!
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