Fourteen years ago...

Fourteen years ago, my sweet son, Ben, came into the world. The whole thing started kind of rocky -- I was on bedrest most of the pregnancy trying to keep him in so he could "cook" long enough. The being born part went really well -- but I'll spare you the details. And then, three hours later, I began hemorrhaging. Emergency surgery. A spinal headache. Rough.

Little did we know then that the roller coaster pregnancy and pain foreshadowed Ben's life. I've posted often about his trials. The communication disorder. Friends who couldn't understand. His rages of frustration. His self-hate. My fear.

And then...

Our boy arrived. Seriously. The past ten months or so have been entirely different from anything we've ever known with Ben. Somehow, he became a confident student. He stopped defining himself by what he can't do and embraced all that he is good at. He even grew in his areas of weakness -- leaping years ahead of where he had been. We actually find him in bed late at night reading by flashlight. We want to scold him for staying up late, but our eyes well with tears. Our sweet boy reads. Ben is discovering the joy of a good story.

Of course, we still take the flashlight and book away. (We've been parenting a long time and know he needs sleep too.)

He took second place in a science fair this year. His project, building bricks by hand using various ratios of water to concrete mix. He understands that hand-mixing concrete is difficult. He realizes that the people of Haiti need machines to mix concrete so that their homes won't crumble again in another earthquake. He presented that project to adult judges, clearly articulating his research and findings. No fear. "Mom," he said, "that was a whole lot easier than I thought it would be." Music to my ears.

His class participated in a mock trial competition. I watched, amazed -- and again, teary-eyed, as my young "prosecutor" worked through how to question a witness and catch her in a lie. He knew his stuff. He modified his plan. This boy, who at one time ran screaming when called on to think spontaneously, conducted himself professionally in front of more than 100 people. No fear. Never in a million years did I expect him to become this guy.

Since the moment I first "met" my boy, rolling around inside me, until today, he has been a fighter.
My prayer, Ben, is that you'll keep fighting for what's right. Seek God's wisdom in all areas of your life. Never quit.

Happy Birthday, Ben!
I love you, always and forever.
Love,
Mom