The Birthday Letter - 7th Edition

DUDE! You are turning SEVEN and officially a kindergarten graduate!

I can’t help but sit here and think about the day when I’m {still} writing you this letter and I’ll be saying, “I can’t believe you are graduating high school!” That specific letter already brings tears to my eyes! Sometimes the days feel long but I know the years are short.

Age 6 was probably one of my favorites to date! I thought I loved 5, but the older you get, the more I learn about who you are, and that means there are more things to love about you!

-I love all the same things I loved last year, but probably on a new level. I love that we still do dinner dates. You are persistent in reminding me when it’s time for us to have a date and that basically melts my heart.

-I love that you are still so passionate about trains. You have loved trains since day 1 and your face still lights up when you hear one coming.

-I love that you are always coming up with new nicknames for me. Last year you called me girl. These last few months, when you’re saying thank you to me, you say, “thank you Tom Thomas.” I assume that came from Thomas the Train, but honestly I don’t know and don’t care. Having nicknames for one another says so much about the relationship we have, and it’s a constant reminder that you graciously inherited my wit and sense of humor.

-I love that you remind me of an old man. You have an old soul, the things you think about, worry about, and talk about are similar to an 85 year old bachelor and I adore that. You even insist on buttoning ALL the buttons on all your shirts. Even polo shirts get buttoned all the way up to the neck. Haha.

-I love that you have tendency to be an introvert and homebody, just like me. But more importantly, I love that you recognize when you need alone time or down time, and you ask for it.

-I love that you notice details in every situation you’re in, especially when you notice them on me. “Mom, I like your new nail color”.

-I love your willingness to help at all times. I only have to ask for your help 1 time before you say, “sure I can do that.”

-I love that you want donuts at your birthday party instead of a cake.

-I love that you are teaching me ways I can be a better mom. I recognize your kind heart, and your patience, and it’s constantly a reminder that I should be more like you.

Some pretty big things happened while you were 6 - Santa brought you a puppy from the North Pole and you named him Walter Snow. I wasn’t all too thrilled with this new gift, but once I saw the amount of laughter he brought to you, I knew it was worth it. Not only does Walter bring you joy and laughter, he is also a great companion for you. He gives you someone to love on, and to be in charge of. You take a lot of pride in the fact he’s your dog. Walter Snow loves to bark at you A LOT in the mornings and you are very quick to remind him that “we are not morning people in the Amidon house” and that he needs to “simmer down”.

Something else happened at age 6 - you started praying to Jesus for an “earth dad”. This was pretty huge, mostly for the reason you finally understood that by you having an earth dad, that also meant I’d have a husband...that wasn’t easy for you. As sweet as it was that you wanted to marry me, I was proud of you for coming to the understanding that you and I wouldn’t be married. Your prayer for a second dad is probably one of the sweetest things I have ever witnessed, and I couldn’t love your innocent heart more for the thought you have put into what you want in an “earth dad”.

As I mentioned earlier, as I write this, you have just graduated kindergarten. You have done really well in school this year, learning to read, do simple math, and you’ve even learned Spanish. You love school. You love your teacher; you love the routine that each day provides and you love being a leader when asked.

Kindergarten also brought you a sense of security in a way, you are more willing to take a risk, you aren’t quite as shy as you were last year, and you have expanded your willingness to try new food...thank goodness!

You are learning more and more about friendships - not everyone is going to be kind and nice every day; there are some people you get along with better than others and you are learning {already} that girls are moody for no reason. Ha!

Age 6 was also the year of teeth. Or lack thereof. As of today, you have officially lost 8 teeth and have 6 new BIG adult teeth to show for it. This was probably my least favorite part of the year, as I hate all things teeth. Plus those big kid teeth are pretty awkward for everyone and I basically can’t wait until your little face grows into them.

Two big things you let go of this year were - training wheels on your bike, and the majority of your old blankies. Both things made me emotional, I had anxiety {and still do} watching you ride your big boy bike around. My insides literally panic when I see you’re about to fall or when I see you laying in the ditch, giving me a thumbs up, letting me know you’re down, but you’re a survivor.

Throwing away some of your blankies just made me sad. It’s funny how as parents, we want our children to grow up and mature, as they are supposed to, but when it comes to YOU deciding to throw your “baby stuff” in the garbage, it kinda makes our mama insides mourn the loss of the baby stage.

Things you love today; no guarantee to still love them tomorrow -

Donuts

Cheesecake

Combs

Airplanes/trains

The color green

Pizza & meatballs

Staying in hotels

Drones

V8

Pokemon’

Getting your hair cut

Talking about numbers - your favorite number is 100

Things you hate today; more of a guarantee to still hate tomorrow:

Broccoli and most vegetables

Cupcakes (because “they make you tired)

Getting your hands dirty (just like your dad)

The dark

Pasta

My coffee breath

Loud noises

I love writing these letters to you because it makes me slow down and reflect on all the ways I appreciate you and it reminds me to stop and be thankful for all that we have, Kaleb.

This year, God blessed us in so many ways! When we went through an incredibly scary time with your papaw, coming minutes away from losing him, God gave me an opportunity to look at that situation a little different. I was apprehensive in letting you see all the “scary” times in the hospital, but at the same time, I wanted you to see some of it, to experience some of it, so you could try to understand the importance of prayer. In your own little way, you processed and understood the fact that papaw almost died, but in return, you got to see the outpouring support of people in our lives. It wasn’t an easy thing for you, or for any of us to wrap our minds around, but I’m incredibly proud of the way you handled it.

While it’s not a time in our life that we constantly want to replay, rehash, and remember, it IS a time that we will hold dear in our hearts because there were many lessons and blessings there for all of us. I can already see how that part of your 6th year changed you, it made you have more questions, you are far more curious about death and some of it has even brought you more anxiety, but on the flip side, it brought you closer to Jesus, this year. You witnessed people all around you, in the hospital, at your school, praying for your papaw daily, and now, there isn’t a day that goes by that you forget to thank Jesus for your day.

Buddy, I guess what I’m trying to say is, this year had ups and downs, just as every year does and will, but with each day, you and I are both learning what it means to have Jesus in our life, and I’m forever grateful for that.

My prayer for you is that you never forget to invite Jesus into your heart, seven days a week; I pray that you never under estimate the power of God’s details; I pray that your loving heart stays pure and whole as long as possible; I pray that your future is bright and full of things that warm your soul; and I pray you never ever doubt how much your mama loves you. I love doing this life with you. You are my entire world, my number 1. I’ll always be your biggest fan.