15 on the 15th

***I know I’m a day late with this, but we were having computer issues yesterday.  Besides, it’s still the 15th in the U.S.***

Happy 15th Birthday to my son Ben!  When Ben was a baby, he was like a little roly-poly potato bug.  I immediately fell in love with his funny little personality.

As a toddler he was almost cartoon-like.

I let him get away with way too much, because I had the hardest time disciplining that little face.

And he had a way of saying things when he was naughty that would make me laugh and get him out of punishments.  One day, when he was about three, I was particularly mad at him.  Jason was out of town and I was a frazzled mom at the end of my rope.  I put Ben to bed in a huff and this was his prayer:  “Dear Heavenly Father, Mom’s mad at me – but she’s not the boss of this house!  Cecily’s not the boss of this house and Noah’s not the boss of this house!  I’m the boss of this house!  Amen!”

Ben also went through a stage where he blamed Jesus for all his bad behavior.  “Jesus said I could jump on the trampoline in the rain . . . Jesus said I don’t have to eat my vegetables . . . Jesus said you can’t make me go to bed.”  Jesus took the rap for a lot back then.

When Ben’s little brother Noah came along, I felt like I was raising squirrels.

Like most Mormon kids, Ben was baptized when he was 8 years-old.  When he and our bishop walked out of the bishop’s office after Ben’s baptismal interview, the bishop was laughing and shaking his head.  When I asked him what happened, all he would say was, “That was very entertaining!”

Through the years, Ben has fought with the Rebels:

Re-enacted Lord of the Flies:

And earned his Black Belt:

Moving to Taiwan 2 1/2 years ago wasn’t easy for Ben.  He has faced challenges that would crush some kids.

But Ben is strong, he is good, he is smart, and he is a fighter.  I am so proud of the young man he is today.

And I still can’t resist that face!