Wink from Heaven: Birthday boy

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Birthday boy

Last year we returned home from a two week hospital stay just in time to celebrate Caleb's birthday! Two of my dear friends even braved a snowstorm to make sure that we got home in time celebrate!
This year we enjoyed celebrating at home, all together, with people we love!
It was a cozy day at home with family. Just the way that Caleb likes it!
The boys loved giving him lots of hugs and helping him with his presents! Mitchell has been asking for the movie "Snow White" and was so excited that Caleb was willing to share it with him!
We are thankful beyond words for the miracle of 5 years...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY my sweet boy

8 comments:

Anonymous said...: Happy 5th Birthday Caleb! xx; January 11, 2010 at 12:44 AM
Becky said...: WOW! Look at all your family. Great pictures. I LOVE the one of Mitchell showing Caleb Snow White...you can tell he's EXCITED! :); January 11, 2010 at 4:27 AM
Candace said...: As I said before...what a milestone! Such a nice celebration with family and friends. That's the best idea!; January 11, 2010 at 5:01 AM
Tara Bennett said...: Look at how much LOVE Caleb has! I think it's the love that will carry him through many more years! Happy Birthday, Caleb!

p.s. Those candles are super cool. I haven't seen those before!; January 11, 2010 at 6:59 AM
Emily said...: Did you use little tomatoes to make the number five? I love those candles on Caleb's cake too! Happy birthday Caleb, we love you.; January 11, 2010 at 1:52 PM
April said...: Emily, you are so cute! The "5" is made out of peanut m&m's-- although tomatoes would have been healthier ;); January 11, 2010 at 7:19 PM
Junior said...: Happy Birthday Caleb, looks like you had a wonderful day surrounded by family.; January 11, 2010 at 8:16 PM
Kel said...: Bridgette is sitting on my lap loving the pictures of Caleb. I know we're a little late, but HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Caleb!!; January 14, 2010 at 3:34 PM

Prayer for Caleb

(written by Caleb's Grandma in her weekly column -2008-)

In my family we have a secret code to communicate our love for each other when we are out in public. We wink. When one of us is about to perform or speak, we look for a family member’s face in the crowd. Then we wink at each other. Closing one eye and winking is our secret code for saying, “I love you. You can do it. You’re wonderful.”

About three years ago, my grandson Caleb was born into our family. He must have known before birth that he would never be able to speak to us because he was born with one eyelid permanently closed. So, he is always “winking” at us, always communicating, “I love you. You can do it. You’re wonderful.”

Caleb has one eye lid permanently closed because he is missing one of his eyes . . . and he is also missing his brain. All the doctors said he would die soon after birth. They were wrong. Caleb is three years old. He is a medical miracle. The doctors say he can’t see, hear, speak, think or move. Those who know and love Caleb understand he has his own unique way of experiencing the world and communicating his love to those around him.

After Caleb was born the hospice people told us to buy a burial plot and continually warned us of his imminent death. We soon learned you can not live well in a state of fear and sadness. We decided we could spend Caleb’s entire life anxious and scared he might die at any moment, or we could celebrate each day we were blessed to have him with us. In the beginning, my daughter April celebrated Caleb’s birthday every week instead of every year with balloons and cupcakes because we simply did not know how long we would have him with us. We stopped the cupcakes after we gained ten pounds, but the celebrating goes on.

We all prayed for a miracle when we first learned about Caleb’s condition. We got one. Caleb’s birth, life and mission have had a deep and lasting impact on our lives. His spirit, eternal identity and most of all the loving, individual relationship he has with each of us is truly a miracle. Because of Caleb we know that each of us has a divine purpose and that the physical body is a sacred gift we should never take for granted. We better understand the worth of a soul and the resiliency of the human spirit.

Caleb’s five year old brother Matthew said, “Grandma. The doctors said Caleb was going to die, but he didn’t. That’s the first miracle I ever saw!”

Sometimes Caleb’s baby brother Mitchell pulls out his feeding tube while they hold hands riding together in their double stroller. Sometimes the only intervention that can get Caleb’s heart rate up is when his older brothers Josh and Matty crawl in his crib, hug him and sing, “I am a Child of God.” ...If you have a moment please offer a prayer for the little boy who has never been able to utter a single word and yet has taught everyone who knows and loves him – all the secrets of a rich and meaningful life.