Eight years ago at this time I was preparing for the birth of my first son. I would lay in bed and marvel at the flutters and kicks of the baby that grew inside of me. I hadn’t known of his existence for long. I was in the end of week 35 of this pregnancy and I had only found out about him at week 27. I still question myself, how I didn’t realize that I was pregnant for over half of my pregnancy. The only answer I could come up with then and now is that it was in God’s Plan.

I woke up on the 21st beside my husband, Josh and just looked at him. He was sound asleep and I didn’t want to wake him from his dreams, but from the moment my eyes opened I know that something was “different”. I slipped out from under the covers and shuffled through some papers the doctors office had given to me. The one I was looking for had the signs of labor on them. I walked in the living room and laid down on the love seat. I quickly scanned the paper but decided that nothing really hurt, nothing really ached and I really couldn’t put a finger on what was “different”. I looked up from the paper and looked around my house. I didn’t know what was going on, but I did know that my home was never going to be the same after this day.

I showered and then woke Josh. I told him something was “different”. He scrambled for the paper that I had already looked at, and I told him that I didn’t see any of the signs I was having. I still couldn’t explain what I was feeling. He looked at me rather uneasy, but went on to take his shower.

The 21st was also my Grandpa’s birthday and the day before is my Uncle Glen’s. Josh and I went to my Grandparents home to celebrate. It didn’t take long after we got there for the pain to start. It began in my legs and slowly worked its way up to my belly. I tried to sit at the table and eat but the pain kept me moving and rubbing my belly. It was a month before my due date. I told everyone that I was just have “Braxton Hicks” All eyes were on me, I kept telling everyone to eat, not to worry. After the cake was served I had to excuse myself and had Josh take me home. With in an hour, we were on our way to the hospital. Upon arriving I was told that I wasn’t in labor and that I had a UTI. And to make a long story short…With in 3 ½ hours, I had given birth to our sweet baby boy, Caleb Joshua.

The next 10 days were not good ones for Caleb or for us. He was very sick. He was taken to Toledo within three hours of his birth. The pain and fear I felt while they rolled that Isolate away from me, is something I will never forget. By 8am that next morning I was on my way to him though. He was so small and wires and tubes tangled his body. But he was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. And he was mine. Oh, I was in awe of this tiny being that Josh and I had created.

Today that little miracle is eight years old. To look at him now you would never guess that he was a 5 pound preemie, that needed a vent to breath for him at birth. He is strong and healthy. And today just as eight years ago, I look at him in awe and he is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.

And here are pictures of him on his birthday from the past 8 years.

Without tubes and wires on day 10Messy from his first cake

Blue’s Clues at his 2nd Birthday

3rd birthday at McDonald’s

4 th birthday, Star Wars party

5th at Pizza Hut with family

6th birthday was celebrated in three states

7th party at our house
Celebrated the big 8 last night

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CALEB!!!
We Love You!!!