Happy 23rd Birthday, Ben

Twenty-three years already? Say it isn't so!

I was thinking this morning about your adventurous life, Ben. "Go for it" seems to be your motto. Like the Olympiads who say "faster, higher, stronger," (as in this post, which has a picture of you and your brother, a picture I love) you always push your limits.

Quite often, those limits have been pushed all the way to the ER.

I was listing your emergencies this morning. Have I forgotten any? I list these as battle scars, by the way--trophies in your case! They say to me, "No matter how it ended, he had a good time trying!"

age 18 months-- You got into rubbing alcohol the day before our flight to Kansas. I had inadvertently left the bottle open on the bathroom sink after sanitizing a thermometer used on your baby sister. To you the rubbing alchohol was a new drink to try? I was coming up from the basement with a load of laundry when I heard you scream. You were nonverbal at the time, so I couldn't know if you had injested it, gotten it in your eye, or just spilled it and were bothered by the fumes. But I couldn't chance it. Called Poison Control. They put me on hold. I called 911. Ambo came. Thankfully the blood alcohol test results were zero.

age 3--You pulled Dad's dresser over on yourself, having used the drawers as ladder rungs. Thankfully the twin mattress, which we kept on the floor of our only-air-conditioned bedroom for you and Sarah, cushioned the impact, and the edge of a photo frame nicked your forehead instead of gouging your eyes or breaking across your sweet little face.

age 7 --You broke your right radius going for a soccer ball with another boy, after being told to stop. The basement with a concrete floor at Beachmont was not an indoor arena. You were happy that it was your right arm broken because it got you out of writing and other schoolwork I had for you. The cast was a consolation prize.

age 12-- You wrenched your knee while snowboarding down our backyard hill. The fence was your foe. I had to help you up the hill and I was 9 months pregnant. You were a good head taller than me already. Sarah was mad because I was supposed to be taking her to visit Hannah within the hour, but had to detour to the hospital.

age 15-- You endured many lacrosse injuries, the worst being your shoulder that needed surgery years later.

age 19-- On July 4th you suffered a retinal injury while playing Tekball at Beachmont.

In November, you accidentally sliced your hand open with a box cutter.

age 20-- You ended up at Shock Trauma with a pulmonary contusion--the result of getting headbutted in the chest during a football game at Beachmont. Yippee! Dad and I said, "You can only be on our medical policy till the end of your 22nd year. Be careful!" You wisely replied, "I don't think I'll play at Beachmont any more. It always ends up bad for me. "

age 22 -- actually within weeks of your 23rd birthday, you got a full-time job with medical insurance! Hooray!

Happy birthday, Ben. Congratulations on the job, also. I'm sure you're an asset to the company, and I'm glad you and Dad are able to bond during your commute together every day. God has given you your adventurous spirit, your drive to succeed, your zeal for life. I love to see you enjoying this phase of your life with a special someone, also. Dee is a very good gift to you.

I'm praying that this year coming will be one of much growth, healing, forgiveness, change, greater love, stronger fellowship, and much fun in the Lord for you, me, and our family.

Love,
Mom