Happy 13th Birthday

Dear Brandon,

Happy 13^th Birthday my sweet son!  I can’t believe we’re celebrating another birthday without you here.  You would have been our first teenager in the house.  You’d probably be entering your “awkward age” of adolescence this year with little red spots popping up on your face, the dreaded hair you hated on Papa would be sprouting up on your own chest, little whiskers on your soft cheeks would begin growing and your little boy voice would likely be deepening this year.  Somehow I believe you would have made “awkward” look cool and oh, so handsome! 

I bet you would have almost been as tall as me by now.  Katie has passed the height you were when we last saw you.  Now Kylie is the exact height you were when you died.  I gave her the biggest hug today when she said “Happy Birthday Brandon.” Haley is still so little.  Any day now she’ll get a growth spurt.  There hasn’t been one day that has gone by that the girls haven’t said how badly they miss you and what a great brother you were.  There hasn’t been one day that I haven’t cried for you.  I just miss you so much.  Dad misses you tagging along at his softball games, wrestling and playing sports with you.

A lot has changed since you were last here.  Earl down the street has moved away along with Donald and Bob.  I don’t see Justice and those boys much either.  Only Cody is still here.  I miss seeing you boys playing together so much and hearing your laughter coming from the street. 

Mr. Kellett started a boys' baseball team at the Academy this year. If you were here, you probably would have been the first boy signed up.  I would give almost anything to see you playing on that team!

There is something I’ve been wanting to talk to you about.  A week before you died you asked if Dad and I could adopt Maxim, Yuri and Artem.  I promised you that I’d try to talk with Dad and make it happen somehow.  You were so concerned for your special friends back at the Internat.  I wanted you to know that I found out that Maxim and Yuri were adopted by an Italian family not too long ago.  I am sure they are really happy to have a family of their own.  We actually got to spend some time with Artem this year.  You were right.  He is such a great kid and OH SO MUCH FUN.  WHAT A JOY he is. We truly loved him just like we love you.  Sadly, we have tried 3 different times to adopt Artem, and we prayed for a miracle, but it just hasn’t worked out.  It hurts so bad, and I’m very sorry that I couldn’t keep my promise to you. I really tried. 

Oh, I almost forgot to tell you, we have a cat now.  Her name is Reese’s Pieces.  I can’t believe your dad finally approved one for us!  I remember how you would beg and beg for Dad to let you have a cat. You would really love her because she is very affectionate and purrs really loudly. You could have even teased her and she doesn’t get mad.  She is such a great cat. There are many times I have been cheered up by her affection.  I am pretty sure Dad has fallen in love with her so much so that it’s actually HIS cat.  She spends a lot of time up in your room, sitting on your desk and looking out your window.  The sun shines brightly in there and she enjoys watching the birds fly around.

Your sisters are taking horseback riding lessons and having fun with that.  It’s nice to see them excited for Thursdays and passionate about the animals God made for us to enjoy.

Already this year Grandma M. and Gram have gone to live in Heaven.  I am sure you have been able to spend a lot of time with them along with the rest of the family waiting there for us.

Well, my son, I will close for now.  Tell Gram and Grandma M. that we love them.  Give them hugs from us along with all our other loved ones.  We can’t wait to see you again.  In the meantime, we are doing our best to be happy like you always were.  We love you so dearly.  We are so thankful and proud to call you our son!  Happy Birthday in Heaven!