Today is Calvin’s 19th birthday. I haven’t had a chance to wish him happy birthday yet as he got up very early to get to work. After work he will probably go over to his girlfriend’s house and have a party over there and then come home sometime after midnight. So it is very possible that I won’t even see him at all today. Very possible. Probable.
Tomorrow however, I know he wants to go with us to Lake Erie and we will get to spend most of the day together. Hopefully he will go to mass first. Mr. Pete has to cantor tonight and work tomorrow morning, so all the kids will go tonight. But I’m thinking of waiting until the morning so that Calvin won’t have to go alone.
We have been going up to Lake Erie to celebrate Calvin and then also Gabe’s birthday since they were babies! I’m glad Calvin still wants to participate in that tradition.We take birthday cake and food and eat it right up there on the lake! We do presents at home though. It’s not a lot of fun to get picnic stuff and sand ll over your presents. We learned that the hard way years ago!
I have never written Calvin’s birth story out. I think I will do that sometime in 2008, but not today. I love Calvin very much and even though I gripe about some of the growing pains we have been going through, he really has been overall a good kid and I think he will be a good man. The only thing good that came out of my first birth experience was him. The rest of it was truly horrible and I couldn’t even think about it without crying for years. That’s a terrible way for a mom to remember giving birth for the first time isn’t it? It’s one of the reasons I became a bit outspoken about homebirths and Cesareans and all of that. Somehow I think one of the goods that can come out of a bad experience is helping others through it or helping them to avoid it altogether. At least that’s how it has seemed to me.
Anyway, all of his birthdays since then have been wonderful. Now because I do spend some time here airing my feelings when he drives me nuts, I should share some of the good stuff about Calvin. So here are 20 good things about my firstborn son that I am happy to share.
1. He has an infectious grin that he shares easily.
2. He has a great sense of humor.
3. When he does or says something a little naughty he does something with his mouth that I swear makes him look just like my beloved Grandpa Calvin use to. I just love that look!
4. He is tenderhearted. He always cries at the right part in sad movies. It’s a family trait.
5. He has great leadership skills. People look up to him.
6. He is calm in a crisis. That’s why I think he will make a good EMT.
7. Calvin had a lot of problems with reading but God blessed him with the ability to do a lot of upper level math!
8. He makes friends very easily.
9. He has been a safe driver.
10. He may not help a lot around the house, but he is able and willing to tackle really big projects- like cleaning the garage, by himself.
11. He is a natural athlete.
12. He loves a good story!
13. He has never given us a problem with drugs or alcohol.
14. He has a great work ethic (when it is something he is motivated to do!)
15. He has a strong faith in God.
16. He is an amazing artist. I wish he would give art school a bit more consideration.
17. He is somewhat thrifty – I’d say for a 19-year-old guy, he is very thrifty!
18. He’s a pretty good cook. I know he will never starve!
19. He enjoys good music, not just trendy stuff.
20. He likes to stay politically informed.
Happy Birthday Calvin
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