Sighting

Sighting. 

It's like Big Foot sometimes--he shows up long enough to have a blurry photo of evidence.

 

Glasses Fog

It's real. 

 

Braces

For Ben. 

Now if we could just get on a regular haircut schedule. 

Covid Hair Be Gone

This isn't as bad as it did get. 

But the boy did finally relent and go for a haircut. 

Handsome either way, I say. 

And then we made cookies. 

Very good cookies. 

Ben Grows

Having overtook me long ago, our 14-year-old is working toward towering over us all with his enviable hair growing downward nearly as quickly. 

Ben Cooks

With some time management skills, the boy is going to be a pretty good chef someday.  Here he is helping me make chicken and dumplings.  Cutting the vegetables may have taken about an hour. 

And here he is showing me how stirring the soup is a good core work out that can't be rushed. 

And then we had to take some amount of time to add salt.  Adding salt should not likely take long enough for your mother to grab the camera and take some photos....

He has very strategically chosen Friday evenings to help me cook because I  think he knows I at least get to sleep in the morning after our marathon sessions.  

But man--it was good. And spending time with this young man can be stretched as long he wants. 

Benjamin's Cool

 

Conversations with Benjamin:

"Patric.  Can I call you Patric?  I feel like we've known each other long enough."

 

Patric: "No." 

 

Then an outburst of laughter from everyone.

Ben Cooks

He claimed he liked peeling potatoes.

 

And mashing.

 

And after a very long time, we had the making of his favorite, Shepherd's Pie.

 

And we ate.

And then began the pestering to turn in the project.

Mom! You need to update the blog!

Said by my girls to me the other day.

 

Okay, but most days, all I see are people taking food and fleeing it seems.

Happy Birthday Boys!

Perhaps  today, we'll get you to put those down and smile together for us.

We officially have teenagers!

Off And Running

This is a pack of 6th and 7th grade kids of one gender or another, taking off at one of the recent cross-country meets.

One and a half miles for the pack to break into stride groups.

 

 

I'm there because I have 3 of 4 who wanted to run this year. 

There is Elaine sort of front of center there, arms swinging. 

 

Ben has an unusually tall friend who talked him into joining this year.  While they don't run together, Ben hangs in there.

 

The crazy tall girl there? Elaine is right behind.

They actually wound up racing each other to the end during this race.

 

And Nicholas.

Of three races so far, he has yet to come in less than number 27 out of the whole pack.

He is determined that he will win.

 

And after each race, there is a collapse.

 

Ben's Wisdom

 

"You know, all rules are bendable, until they break."

Ben's Sixth Grade Art Portfolio

Ben's representation of his way home.

 

3-D representation of Dr. Butter's Home.

 

Dr. Butter's

He is funny and experimental and smart.  He is also weird and speaks with a British accent.

 

Pre clay sculpture drawing.

Conversations with Ben

"Mom, you have many arduous tasks."

 

And then a smile creeps into his face. 

 

"See mom, I'm learning all sorts of new vocabulary these days. Aren't you proud of me?"

Happy Birthday Benjamin: Steadfast

Ben, at 12 your underlying maturity and sensitivity to people does not surprise me, but it does make me so very proud.  Whether you are joking (but not really) that everyone at church was underdressed or explaining how you helped a friend with something hard that even you didn't know how to do, but you figured it out together, my heart swells.

At 11, you didn't even like this cake, but no one at that table that day would have ever known that because your sisters made it and they were excited, so you were too.

 

At 10, you could disappear and just be with yourself.  I don't know a lot of adults who can do that.

 

From long before 9, your sense of humor has been amazing and makes me laugh constantly.

 

8-Years-Old

You don't ever want to do the family things we make you do.  You are sure to let us know.  But once you know there are no negotiations about participation, you throw yourself into whatever it is.  And I admire this trait, so much.

7-Years-Old

You have always been able to tell a story whether a re-counting of the day's events or something completely made up right there around the campfire with flare and interest and continuity. 

 

6-Years-Old

You love chocolate.  All things chocolate, not white cake with strawberries.  But you smile and enjoy if it is important to the people you love

 

5-Years-Old

Already handsome.

 

4-Years-Old

The year you told me not to worry, you would always be my baby.

(Sometimes I worry that you intend to live with me and let me mother you for all time, but we'll cross that bridge someday.)  More importantly, that day had been hard for me and you nearly made me cry with such kind words from such a small boy.

3-Years-Old

Put Ben to bed and Ben would stay in bed.  Right about this time in our lives, that was unimaginably important.

 

2-Years-Old

I'll forget the tantrums and potty training for today, and maybe I'll choose to believe that there were no terrible twos for you.  If there were, it was certainly a mild case.

 

1-Year-Old

Those eyes, that smile.  How could you be anything but charming?

 

 

Well, we all have our days.

We all have our days.  Not sure you were happy about this one.  But it fits the theme, that transition to the world came with reluctance, but since accepting your life here, you have embraced it.  And we are so lucky you are ours.