Dear Callum,

Well, today is your last day of second grade. I can't even believe it. We've both been busy looking forward to all of the fun things we're going to do this summer (not to mention getting ready for THIRD GRADE!), but I've been looking back some too. You've had a great year this year. When we learned who your teacher was going to be, all the way back last spring, we knew it would be good. Still, I don't think your Papa and I knew how good.

The enthusiasm you showed for everything in first grade did not wane this year, by any stretch. You loved earning money in your classroom economics and getting paid for the jobs you did in your class. You hoarded and hoarded your money, a trait which will make your paternal grandfather very proud. Your reading totally took off, and long before the end of the school year you were devouring chapter books the way you devour hot wing dip! We've all read some great books together. From Little House to The Phantom Tollbooth, and The Secret Garden. And you've read some great books, like Stuart Little and The Trumpet of the Swan on your own. You have developed a true love of reading, and this makes my heart sing. The love of reading and books is something that will enrich your life beyond measure, and I'm thrilled to know that you see reading as recreation as well as enrichment. This will only make your adult life more full.

You got to study some of your favorite things this year, like gemstones and Ancient Greece. You love sapphires and can name many gemstones. You learned renaming and regrouping (what we used to call borrowing and carrying), and most importantly you learned not to be afraid of math. And one day, in your A.M. Journal, you wrote, "I am good at math." It's one of your teacher's proudest moments, and I know it's one of Papa's and mine too. You love reading and writing poetry and you really enjoy getting up in front of your class and speaking (or singing) with enthusiasm.

You love P.E. and have the makings of a great athlete. You've run laps and earned stripes in karate and a first place medal in your first tournament. You have a strong competitive spirit, and Papa and I are very proud of how you are working on tempering that drive by being a better loser and a good sport.

Things were pretty fun outside of school too. After years of happy costumes, you decided to be a little scarier this Halloween. You went to Busch Gardens and the circus and camping, all for the first time. You got two new dogs. You had your first sleepover too. You challenged us to games of Uno and learned to play Monopoly. You still love rockets and space and World War II movies and Top Chef. You went to see Barack Obama speak and that sparked an interest in American politics. You seem to tend toward pacifist pursuits, having developed a great interest in Ghandi as well. You're a creative problem solver. When I told you that you couldn't sing Rocky Top at school because of the moonshine references, you compromised by changing moonshine to lemonade.

You have popcorn almost every evening after school. That and Gatorade (or blood orange soda or Limonata) is your favorite snack. One of my favorite things this year was our evenings together while you did your homework at the kitchen island and I cooked dinner. I loved giving you spelling tests at the same time I stirred the soup. We had some good talks over homework, didn't we? You've really gained maturity this year, learning that you don't have to be finished first. That doing your best work was more important. We fought over homework much, much less this year, you're so much better about taking correction. You listen more and argue less. This tells me that as your mind has matured, your spirit has too.

I'm going to end this post with some words of your own. A poem you wrote about summer "a few weeks ago."

Summer feels soft
Summer sounds musical
Summer smells like a flower
Summer tastes like honeysuckles
Summer looks blue and yellow

Callum, Papa and I couldn't be prouder of you this year. We're proud of your great accomplishments as a student, but more than that, we're proud of the person you're becoming. Our best bud, a pleasure to be with and to know. You sparkle with life and nothing could make me prouder than that.

Love,

Mama

P.S. We hope you enjoy your new Wii. You've earned it!