Happy Birthday Caleb

Caleb, remember when we....

*got caught making out by my Dad? And that cop? And that other one? And my sister, peeking through the blinds? And our friend's Dad? And those kids in the park?

*drove down to Vegas on Valentine's Day? We wandered around the various casinos until six in the morning. There weren't any restaurants open on the strip, so we ate at the McDonald's in the Luxor. We got tired driving home and pulled over to sleep at a trucker stop. I drove home and you slept the entire way, waking up every hour on the hour to pee. Too much Gatorade....

*danced outside your apartment in Houston in the rain? We ran all over the complex trying to find the biggest puddle to splash in. I've never seen it rain that hard before.

*drove off the side of the road in your car and the tv we were hauling broke your back window? That was the most I've ever heard you swear.

*drove around your cabin in the little red buggy? My hair was short back then, and whipped me in the eyes the entire time. I've never seen such gorgeous fall leaves in my entire life. It was breathtaking.

*took your nephew and my little sister to the dinosaur exhibit at Thanksgiving Point? We bought him an ice cream cone after, and you made the mistake of actually giving it to him in the car....

*waited outside Smith's Marketplace all night long for the Olympic Medals Ceremony tickets? You woke up early and snuck to your car to use the hairspray you'd brought along...which we all teased you for.

*stayed up until 4 am talking on the phone? We'd just barely started dating, and I told you things about myself that my best friends didn't even know. I had no idea why I was pouring out every little thing, laying it out in front of you. You reciprocated, and I felt better about myself.

*nearly ran out of gas driving down from the volcano in Maui? You kept our little sardine-sized rental car in neutral and we coasted into a gas station on fumes. However, you still managed to stop on the way down to take pictures....

*flew in that small airplane for our senior prom's day activity? You surprised me, and we flew all over Park City on down to Bountiful. You'd told my family about it and so when we flew over my house they was waiting for us on the driveway, little dots waving their arms. We nearly died landing, it was so stormy and windy. The pilot tried several times, always flying in sideways......You were so scared I thought you were going to crush every bone in my hand.

*drove up into the mountains? You'd gone up early to set up a couch on the hill so that we could watch the sun set, and you asked me to prom. We watched the thunder clouds roll over Antelope Island, and enjoyed the warm smell of rain in the air.

*hopped in your car at midnight to drive into the mountains to watch the meteor shower? It was the dead of winter, and we laid on your tailgate in sleeping bags to keep warm.

*were both so sick with the throat sores? As horrible as they were, I was secretly glad you had them too, so we could commiserate together on the phone for that dreadful week.

*went to Cheeseburger Mai Tai in Maui and loved it so much that we went back the next day, and nearly ordered (you deviator you!) the exact same thing?

*met up on a tiny beach in Galveston, TX? I was down there visiting Abby's brother and you and Tom were driving down some furniture for your sister. I gave you horribly vague directions to the beach house we were staying at, and you managed to find it. We spent the evening swimming in the ocean and playing cards.

*spent the evening cleaning up the water in the basement of your old house? The sprinkler pipe had broken and there was an inch of water soaking in the carpet. We laid out as many towels as we could and jumped around trying to get it all up.

*went to see Coldplay at the Salt Palace? I'd surprised you with tickets for Valentine's Day. I only knew one song but it didn't matter, you enjoyed it for the both of us.

*rolled down Valley View Elementary's big hill? You weren't in a good mood, so I made you pull over. I grabbed your hand and ran down the rock path and just started rolling down the hill. You sat and watched me at first, trying to keep the corners of your lips from curving upward. It didn't work, and soon we were both rolling down the hill like logs.

*used to go stack the deer on people's lawns? We nearly got caught that one time in Reece's car, and he nearly had kittens because he was just about to leave on his mission.

*went ice skating in downtown Salt Lake? Paul was there, and decked me in the face with a ball of snow / ice. You were so mad, but who would challenge Paul? Not me....(okay, so I did once in elementary...but that's beside the point...)

*went to see the lights at Temple Square, and your knee was injured from skiing? I pushed you around the grounds in a wheelchair and enjoyed all the stares people gave us.

*went fishing at your parents house and you taught me how to fly fish? The only thing I caught that day was the dog....

*climbed the tree in front of the church on Main Street? We sat up there for hours talking and watching the people below us. They had no idea.

*went boating with Jason, Cole & his neighbor? I had to come pick you up, and didn't know you at all. That big rock hit my windshield and you were absolutely aghast that I didn't freak out.

*went to see the fireworks at Mueller Park? We took Bear and he FLIPPED. We spent the entire time holding him under the blanket.

*first saw each other after I'd been in Australia, and you in Houston? I surprised you at the airport, you thought I was still in Australia. That look on your face was PRICELESS, I am so glad we caught it on camera.

*first went to Lake Powell with my family? I thought for sure that a solid week of my family burping, farting, and teasing each other would scare you off. Apparently it didn't.

*got engaged at your cabin on Christmas Eve? That was also where we had our first official date, and this last Christmas we spent the weekend there, my first time staying over night. It was absolutely freezing outside, but you built a warm fire and it was so cozy. I slept so well that night. It was calm, peaceful. I was perfectly content.

I love you Caleb. :) Happy Birthday!!