Ben

This is Ben. Ben turned 18 years old yesterday! One of his sisters caught him in the act yesterday morning of standing in front of the bathroom mirror singing Happy Birthday to himself.......Ben started coming to our house when he was about two. His older brother and younger sister already lived with us. Ben lived with his birth father. We arranged with the agency that Ben could come for weekend visits so he could have some time with his siblings...his older brother missed him terribly. When Ben came he was like Kermit the frog...he needed someone to do everything for him...his legs and arms were very skinny and he couldn't do anything for himself. He couldn't talk.....he'd point at things. One March break, the one that he turned three, his father needed him looked after for the week because he was moving.....Ben stayed ...the new home wasn't fit for man nor beast...for months the father was supposed to be finding a suitable place and by August the 'agency' ...Children's Aid, said enough is enough and they officially apprehended him and Ben was here to stay. Unfortunately, having two birth parents that are learning disabled and a birth mom who drank while pregnant has taken its' toll because even though Ben turned 18 years old yesterday...he has the comprehension of a 6 year old.

The other week, our daughter, who is also delayed, (she's biologically Ben's half sister) accused Ben of giving her his cold. Ben became quite indignant...'No, no I didn't...I know I didn't..do you know how?...because I still have it...I still have my cold Megan'!

This week as well as last I've been up to my eyeballs in Vacation Bible School crafts and lists...lists of things I still have to make, lists of kids that are coming.......last weekend I was unsure of how many were coming....I was beginning to think that we wouldn't have very many, and I was doing ALL this work.....well, as of yesterday the count is at 75!!!!!! 31 of those 75 are 3,4,5 year olds....oh my goodness...up to our knees in anklebiters! So, since I had only prepared 12 for each group I had to go shopping again and buy more supplies! Today,....craft day...again....

My sister left for Florida this morning at 5 a.m......for two weeks.....I almost hid in their trunk. To think warm sand, sunshine, relaxing, not a care in the world.......or.......75 kids raising their voices , learning about Jesus.....well, let's just say....it's a hard call......the old body in me would take the beach....the emotional part of me knows that I'm right where I'm suppose to be.