I can't believe that we have a 14 year old in our household. Last night we watched the video from the night he was born. What an incredible day in all of our lives. Seeing the room full of our loved ones, so anxious to get their first peak at our son. It was a night to remember.
Recently I had to write a letter to Dayton for his huge 8th grade portfolio project, he said "it only has to be 1 1/2 pages double spaced", I laughed because that is just not how "I" do things. He should know that by now! I had originally asked my Dad to write it but he got so sick so fast, there just wasn't time. So I figured that I should be the one to do it. It had to be somewhat biographical so I included highlights from his life the best I could in 5 pages double spaced ;) . I thought I would post it today on his special day. I love that boy (ok, young man) so much, and am so very proud of him.
Happy Birthday D!
A Letter From Mom
Dear Dayton, April 2009
I hope that I can put into words what a special young man you are to your Dad and I. Before you were born we always dreamed of having a child, we would later learn that you were our only miracle baby. You are extra special for that reason. The day we told everyone that we were expecting you was one of the best days of our lives and everyone in our family as well. My Grandpa A was very ill and it was wonderful to be able to share the news that we were expecting before he passed away in December. I wanted a little boy to fill in the empty place that he left in our family. The night you were born, the waiting room at U of M was packed with our family playing euchre and pacing the floor. You decided to come early, I was due on Mother’s Day of 1995 on the 14th and early on May 1st you made it known you would wait no more. Our family rushed into our room to get their first peek at their first grandson, great grandson, nephew and cousin. Your birth gave everyone a new “title”. Boy oh boy did you get attention. Everything you did and said when you were young was so cute and funny, you definitely “worked the room” and had a very captive audience. You were loved so very much right from the beginning and still have a very special place in everyone’s hearts. You were such a happy baby, you had the best giggle and Daddy could make you laugh the hardest. We had no family close by so it was mostly me and you during the day and Daddy on his days off, you became our best buddy. You walked at 9 months! We captured so much of your life on video and I am so glad! You were always so happy go lucky and really were quite the little comedian. You could watch a tv show and pick up the lines right away and recite them back to us to make us laugh. You loved playing “police officer” with Daddy and always liked to get under arrest. You also began your love of the outdoors at a very early age. Grandpa took you on the pontoon for the first time when you were just 6 weeks old! You caught your first fish on that same pontoon on your 3rd birthday, I don’t know who was prouder, you or Grandpa. You were always Grandpa’s little buddy. Your Great Grandma F loved you to pieces too, she would call EVERY day and ask “how’s that baby boy?”. Boy did she spoil you! You also went out into the woods with the “men” for the first time around 4 ½ and watched “Big Papa” get a deer. We always said that you knew more about the out doors than most grown men did. That is when your passion began.
We enrolled you in Willow Creek Preschool when you were 3 years old, it was so hard for me to leave you there and you screamed and cried the whole first day, you even hit the teacher, I saw a very different side of you that day! You grew to love Miss Bonita and enjoyed school very much. You met your good buddy Nick Smith there and have been great friends ever since. We lived in B----- up until you started kindergarten and we decided to move to P==== 6 weeks into the school year. You started kindergarten at St. Michaels and then transferred you to FHE once we moved. Before we left B----- you played your first year of T-Ball. Oh how fun it was to watch you play. You loved baseball from a very young age, we said we had to move because you started hitting balls out of the backyard and over the house into the street, we knew then that we needed more property! You thought you were a professional ball player at first, you would tap your shoes every time you got up to bat, and we always laughed at how you slid into every base! We knew right then that baseball was in your soul and that we were probably going to be spending a lot of time at the ball fields throughout the years, and we were right!
You loved your elementary years at F H and were a great student, we never ever had any problems with you and the teachers always thought you were a joy to have in the class. You were one of the first classes to ever participate the all day every other day kindergarten in P--- Schools. You also were in the first class to participate in the multi-age classroom in 1st and 2nd grades. Mrs. L asked if I would let you be a part of it and I agreed. Now they are very popular. You also were the first kindergarten class to start in the new millennium, when you graduate you will have gone all of your years in the 2000’s, that will also be a first.
When you were small you loved the movie Free Willy and you loved killer whales. We took you to Sea World a few times and you were just in love with Shamu! You always said you wanted to work with whales someday.
Your love of baseball has remained and you have played every year since you were 4. You made us very proud when you made your first travel team at 9 years old. Boy have we spent hours at the ball field, we love watching you play. Each year we are amazed at how much stronger you are getting. One major highlight for us was last year when we had the opportunity to watch you play in Cooperstown.
As our only child for 10 years we cherished every moment of your life and hope that you will looked back on your childhood and remember all of the fun that we had together and know how special you are to us. I know your world completely changed the day we went to China to bring Myah home. You were no longer the only person that we needed to focus on, but we were so thankful that you welcomed her with open arms and took on the responsibility of big brother with such grace. I love you for that. I know it wasn’t easy (and sometimes still isn’t) being her brother but trust me, someday your friendship with her will be worth it all. She looks up to you and wants to be grown up just like you. We are so thankful that you were able to join us in China and witness the very moment that she became “ours”.
The past few years that you have been in middle school have gone by so quickly and I fear that your four years of high school are going to go even faster. We are so proud of the young man that you are becoming. You have always maintained a high set of morals for yourself and I pray that you will always stay true to yourself. We are very excited for all of the changes coming your way, we are learning right along next to you on many issues so please give us some slack sometimes! We love your sense of humor, you truly inherited that from both Dad and I. It will get you through the tough times so never forget to laugh, sometimes at yourself first. You have endured much sorrow in your young life, we have lost so many people who loved you so much. This year you lost Grandpa, someone who meant so much to you. We know it is not easy on you but you have dealt with it very maturely and kept your grades up, we were very proud of the way you have handled yourself through this tough time. Grandpa loved you so much, you brought joy into his life from the minute you were born. I am sure he misses you as much as you do him.
We love you Dayton and I pray that your future is full of opportunities for you to be yourself and shine. Whatever your dreams are, reach for them. Know that we are always here for you no matter what, we are your biggest fans and want the best for you. Stay true to yourself and you will be just fine. We have no doubt that you will be successful in whatever you choose to do. Enjoy your next four years in high school, they will be some of the best years of your life!
Lots of Love,
Mom
Dear Dayton, April 2009
I hope that I can put into words what a special young man you are to your Dad and I. Before you were born we always dreamed of having a child, we would later learn that you were our only miracle baby. You are extra special for that reason. The day we told everyone that we were expecting you was one of the best days of our lives and everyone in our family as well. My Grandpa A was very ill and it was wonderful to be able to share the news that we were expecting before he passed away in December. I wanted a little boy to fill in the empty place that he left in our family. The night you were born, the waiting room at U of M was packed with our family playing euchre and pacing the floor. You decided to come early, I was due on Mother’s Day of 1995 on the 14th and early on May 1st you made it known you would wait no more. Our family rushed into our room to get their first peek at their first grandson, great grandson, nephew and cousin. Your birth gave everyone a new “title”. Boy oh boy did you get attention. Everything you did and said when you were young was so cute and funny, you definitely “worked the room” and had a very captive audience. You were loved so very much right from the beginning and still have a very special place in everyone’s hearts. You were such a happy baby, you had the best giggle and Daddy could make you laugh the hardest. We had no family close by so it was mostly me and you during the day and Daddy on his days off, you became our best buddy. You walked at 9 months! We captured so much of your life on video and I am so glad! You were always so happy go lucky and really were quite the little comedian. You could watch a tv show and pick up the lines right away and recite them back to us to make us laugh. You loved playing “police officer” with Daddy and always liked to get under arrest. You also began your love of the outdoors at a very early age. Grandpa took you on the pontoon for the first time when you were just 6 weeks old! You caught your first fish on that same pontoon on your 3rd birthday, I don’t know who was prouder, you or Grandpa. You were always Grandpa’s little buddy. Your Great Grandma F loved you to pieces too, she would call EVERY day and ask “how’s that baby boy?”. Boy did she spoil you! You also went out into the woods with the “men” for the first time around 4 ½ and watched “Big Papa” get a deer. We always said that you knew more about the out doors than most grown men did. That is when your passion began.
We enrolled you in Willow Creek Preschool when you were 3 years old, it was so hard for me to leave you there and you screamed and cried the whole first day, you even hit the teacher, I saw a very different side of you that day! You grew to love Miss Bonita and enjoyed school very much. You met your good buddy Nick Smith there and have been great friends ever since. We lived in B----- up until you started kindergarten and we decided to move to P==== 6 weeks into the school year. You started kindergarten at St. Michaels and then transferred you to FHE once we moved. Before we left B----- you played your first year of T-Ball. Oh how fun it was to watch you play. You loved baseball from a very young age, we said we had to move because you started hitting balls out of the backyard and over the house into the street, we knew then that we needed more property! You thought you were a professional ball player at first, you would tap your shoes every time you got up to bat, and we always laughed at how you slid into every base! We knew right then that baseball was in your soul and that we were probably going to be spending a lot of time at the ball fields throughout the years, and we were right!
You loved your elementary years at F H and were a great student, we never ever had any problems with you and the teachers always thought you were a joy to have in the class. You were one of the first classes to ever participate the all day every other day kindergarten in P--- Schools. You also were in the first class to participate in the multi-age classroom in 1st and 2nd grades. Mrs. L asked if I would let you be a part of it and I agreed. Now they are very popular. You also were the first kindergarten class to start in the new millennium, when you graduate you will have gone all of your years in the 2000’s, that will also be a first.
When you were small you loved the movie Free Willy and you loved killer whales. We took you to Sea World a few times and you were just in love with Shamu! You always said you wanted to work with whales someday.
Your love of baseball has remained and you have played every year since you were 4. You made us very proud when you made your first travel team at 9 years old. Boy have we spent hours at the ball field, we love watching you play. Each year we are amazed at how much stronger you are getting. One major highlight for us was last year when we had the opportunity to watch you play in Cooperstown.
As our only child for 10 years we cherished every moment of your life and hope that you will looked back on your childhood and remember all of the fun that we had together and know how special you are to us. I know your world completely changed the day we went to China to bring Myah home. You were no longer the only person that we needed to focus on, but we were so thankful that you welcomed her with open arms and took on the responsibility of big brother with such grace. I love you for that. I know it wasn’t easy (and sometimes still isn’t) being her brother but trust me, someday your friendship with her will be worth it all. She looks up to you and wants to be grown up just like you. We are so thankful that you were able to join us in China and witness the very moment that she became “ours”.
The past few years that you have been in middle school have gone by so quickly and I fear that your four years of high school are going to go even faster. We are so proud of the young man that you are becoming. You have always maintained a high set of morals for yourself and I pray that you will always stay true to yourself. We are very excited for all of the changes coming your way, we are learning right along next to you on many issues so please give us some slack sometimes! We love your sense of humor, you truly inherited that from both Dad and I. It will get you through the tough times so never forget to laugh, sometimes at yourself first. You have endured much sorrow in your young life, we have lost so many people who loved you so much. This year you lost Grandpa, someone who meant so much to you. We know it is not easy on you but you have dealt with it very maturely and kept your grades up, we were very proud of the way you have handled yourself through this tough time. Grandpa loved you so much, you brought joy into his life from the minute you were born. I am sure he misses you as much as you do him.
We love you Dayton and I pray that your future is full of opportunities for you to be yourself and shine. Whatever your dreams are, reach for them. Know that we are always here for you no matter what, we are your biggest fans and want the best for you. Stay true to yourself and you will be just fine. We have no doubt that you will be successful in whatever you choose to do. Enjoy your next four years in high school, they will be some of the best years of your life!
Lots of Love,
Mom
5 comments:
Happy Birthday D!!! I cannot believe how fast the years have flown.
I was laughing when I read about Free Willy..I still have the sockwhale we made when he left his free willy at home!!!
Love you and can't wait to see you this weekend!!!
Happy Happy Birthday Dayton!!!!
Blessings,
Diana
Happy 14th Birthday Dayton!!
I just love the letter. What beautiful words for Dayton to hold onto and carry through life.
Happy Birthday Dayton!! Our family feels so blessed to have gotten to know you. You've really grown and changed in the last few years, and we wish you all the best as you celebrate your 14th birthday.
What a sweet and thoughtful letter. I had to laugh when you mentioned Dayton imitating movies because I remember when he was 2 years old... maybe 3... he was imitating a line from a movie Jim Carrey was in. Little Dayton would say a few garbled words I didn't quite understand, then point his index finger up in the air and clear as a bell would say, TAKE IT UP THE TAIL TYPE!!! :-)
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