Happy 20th Birthday Colton----June 10, 1993

 Happy Birthday Colton Brighton Vail!!  Thursday, June 10th, 1990 was a very happy day for your dad and me because it was the day I finally was able to meet you!  You were born at Alta View Hospital after we had only lived in Utah after 3 weeks.  Right after we were born we moved into our home that we spent most of your life at, up to this point. 

From the day you were born you bought peace into my life.  You were  a very calm, quiet baby and you could sit in  your swing for hours and hours.  You use to just love to just observe everything from a far.

You use to smile at practically anything anyone did to you.  Everything was funny and you use to laugh all the time.  You made our home a much happier place then and now.  Here are 20 things I love about you!

1.  You have one of the best vocabularies of anyone I have ever met.  When you were a barely 3  everyone use to ask me how you could speak so well with a vocabulary of an eight year old.  Honestly I didn't know and still don't.

2.  You like to talk about your feelings and ideas.  You think about things deeply and are a thinker.

3.  You are a very generous person. You have always expressed appreciation about the simple things and always thanks others for things they do for you. 

4.   You have a perspective on life that is new and exciting.  You see the world through a lens that I know others wish they could see.  It is a positive, happy one!

5.  I love how spontaneous you are.  You are always willing to try something new and aren't afraid of much.

6. I love that you aren't afraid to express your opinion.  We feel very different about many things, but you always love to express your thoughts. 

7.  You are one of the most genuine people I know. People always know where they stand with you.  You don't hold back your feelings and you don't pretend to like something when you really  hate it.  It is refreshing to be with someone so real.

 

8. You are so imaginative.  I don't think you have the ability to get bored. You are always thinking of new things and come up with ideas that I could never fathom.

9.I love how punctual you are.  You are always on time to work or any other function. In fact you almost leave too early.  This is such a great quality and it shows people you respect them and that you value their time too.

10. You do such a great job at your job. You are friendly and work hard to make people's experiences  a positive one. 

(from 7th grade to 12 grade Colton went to private schools or a charter school where they didn't take school pictures.  That is why there is a big gap here). 

  11.  I love that you are a  very kind person. You  seems to be always helping one of your  friends with a project or if they need a shoulder to cry on, you're always available.  You  really treats others with kindness and you're an example to me. 

12.  I love how you never give up.   You are always willing to try something new. I love that you are looking into a trade so that you are able be marketable and have a great skill to support yourself.  I am excited for the opportunities ahead of you.

13.  I love what a modest and humble person you are.  You are never one to brag about your abilities.  You just quietly go about being a great person.

14.  You are one of the funniest people I know. You have a sense of humor that sometimes takes me a while to get occasionally, but it is always so fun to laugh with your funny ways. 

15. I love your memory. You remember EVERYTHING!!   I love how you quote lines from a movie and seem to know something about everything!

16.  I love that you love the Lord and yearn to obey the commandments. You were discouraged when you found out you weren't able to go on a 2 year proselyting mission, but you continue to do your best each and every day.

17.  I love that you listen to your parents even when you don't like what we have to say.  You are obedient even when it is difficult.

18.  I love that you are a happy person.  You are generally always in a good mood and you make our home a happier place because of it.

19. You have had a many challenges in your life and you have been able to remain positive and I love that you continue to keep on pressing forward. I know that can be hard sometimes, but you continue to stay on the straight and narrow and I am very grateful for that.

20.  I am grateful for how you are always willing to help when you see a need, but also when asked. You are a very kind person who treats and love others and I love your laugh!!

I use to always imagine how I thought you would turn out and what you would be like as you went from babyhood to manhood.  I envisioned so many things for you and I was excited for that time to come.  It is amazing that time is here now.

But I realize that who you are and who you are becoming is even better.  

And instead of my heart being squelched it is growing by leaps every day.  I use to think that I needed to "fix you."  To turn you into what I thought you were supposed to be, but I have been learning that all along  you were really, "fixing me.
You have taught me more than I can say.
Through the peace you exudes.
The slow smile.
The calm demeanor.
The sparkle in your eyes.
Through your quick wit when I need a laugh.
Through your  thankful attitude.
I loved you so, with my whole heart.
But that heart of mine keeps expanding to fit that  man  you're becoming inside.
And I’m so grateful that you have been here to help “fix me.”
Happy Birthday Colton
Love you forever.