The Curiosity of Caleb . . .

Caleb is our oldest. He is just over eight and the answer to my life-long prayer. I always wanted to be a mom. When Nathan and I married, I knew we would wait for a few years before having our first child. What I thought would be two or three years became seven. We were waiting for the PERFECT time and finally decided that there would be no such time. Eight years later, I now realize that God's timing was perfect. Caleb was the answer to my prayers and my wait for him has molded me into who I am. Caleb's a dynamic little man who has grown so much in the last year. He is curious about many things but most about God's creation. (Luckily, his daddy is a biologist and has a pretty good handle in that area.) Caleb loves critters just like his daddy. He could search for snakes and frogs all day. Caleb loves to set crawfish traps, go fishing, or bird watching. If he can watch a nature show, his world is complete. Caleb has no interest in ball sports but is pursuing an interest in swimming. He LOVES to be in the water and seems to have some natural ability. I pray this is a passion that he pursues for many years. From the time Caleb was two-years-old, he would sit for long periods of time with a snake, weed, or vine and play games. I have asked many times over the years what he was playing or what he was thinking. He always evades with a simple response that "I am playing my game, mom". But, I suspect amazing things are transpiring in his imagination. Caleb has had a love for dinosaurs and dragons for many years. Just recently, he has gotten turned on to reading. I enjoy watching the two interests collide. He is discovering the amazing worlds that want-to-be paleontologists (dino. scientists) have written about. The twinkle in his eye and the excitement in his voice when he is relating his stories thrill my very core. (Of course, I could care less that a T-rex was attacking a stegosaurus only to be foiled in his attempt!) I know that his imagination is being fed by these books just as I am feeding his little body. Caleb has a sensitive side and is beginning to show an interest in things eternal. He inquires about baptism on a regular basis and wants to know more about the workings of Christianity. We are so proud that the seeds we have been planting are growing into a love for God. We also pray that his sensitivity will develop into a heart for the lost and hurting. We believe God will grow him into a man who does His good works.