Giving thanks for Ben’s life

Happy Thanksgiving!

And happy 8th birthday to my boy, Ben!

We’re in Branson celebrating Thanksgiving and Christmas and family and my boy’s birthday with Greg’s side of the family. We love this place – and we love putting experiences and adventures over things.

*****

Dear Ben,

I love having your birthday so tied up in Thanksgiving. You asked if you could choose what we ate for dinner on your birthday and, usually, the answer is yes, but not this year. This year we’re gathering with family to eat turkey and all that goes with that. But I get the feeling you won’t care to share your birthday dinner with a holiday tradition. You just like a party. You like sharing the table with people, caring much more about who is joining us than actually eating the food.

I love how you love people. You’re all in. You remember prayer requests. You want to invite people over to our house and into your life. You give good hugs and are the best morning snuggler – even if you sneak in my bed much earlier than I’d prefer.

You’ve taught me a lot about enjoying – truly enjoying – the little things in life and not being too serious. That challenges me out of my Type A comfort zone, but I’m glad you’re my son and I get to grow alongside you. You look up to your dad. You’re the best big brother to Rachel and would take a break from pestering Cate to stand up for her.

Being on the same team is the blessing that comes with family.

{Tweet that.}

This year has included some big things for you: You sustained second-degree burns to your face and hands, but you recovered beautifully and quickly. It was a scary time for our family, but, like in all circumstances, God showed up faithfully. Not long after, you were diagnosed with ADHD. This insight into how your brain works has been good for all of us.

Through it all, your bravery amazes me. You don’t live with fear. You’re a good patient. And you don’t hold onto hard things but move on to whatever is next.

Yesterday I shared a piece of your birth story for National Adoption Awareness Month. I love your story. I love that I get to be your momma. I’m excited to see more of what God has planned for us – as a family and for you, my middle boy.

*****

In honor of National Adoption Awareness Month, Ben’s birthday, and Thanksgiving, I’ve got a gift for you! The Kindle version of my book, “Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family” is FREE for a few more days.