eSpecially Ben

Ben turns 12 years old today. Our lives changed forever the day he was born. Ryan and I became parents to a wild redhead with more energy and determination than an entire village. Like most people who become parents, we knew we would instill in our child the valuable lessons needed for life. We had no idea that Ben would be the one to teach us. Here are Ben's words of wisdom: Manners, Please Every parent has to fight for their child at some point. Be thoughtful, thankful and thorough when advocating for your child. Just this morning, a friend started a Facebook post that used words that were derogatory toward people with special needs. After a moment's thought, I spoke to the person privately. This person had no idea they were being offensive and removed the post immediately. Without lessons learned through Ben, I would have approached the situation with anger, accusations and assumptions. Friends Give Hugs Often Ben reaches out to strangers to touch their hand. He

I ran to the bathroom before the final event on the last day of Rainbow Express at Matthews United Methodist Church . Inside the bathroom, a girl was crying inside one of the stalls, "I don't want to leave. I want to know I can come back next week." The sadness in this girl's voice was so intense that I wanted to cry with her. Her counselor assured her that she could come back next year. Rainbow Express is a weeklong day camp for children with special needs. About 70 campers participate and they love every minute of it. Energy is high, activities are in abundance, hugs are infinite and a puppet show is promised every afternoon. After kids attend a year or two, it becomes a family reunion for everyone. The entire week is planned by the youth from the church with guidance from founder Laurie Little and other staff and volunteers. Each camper has a youth counselor and a buddy to help them through the activities of the week. The entire church community is committed

We are at the halfway mark for summer, and I think I can survive the rest of it. We have had fun visiting a lot of different places, many of which are accessible for wheelchairs, offer activities that Ben can do and are low to no cost. Fun places to visit: New River Trail State Park in Virginia Dan Nicholas Park Maggie Valley & Lake Januluska

My kids untied me for a minute so I could post this story. (It has been that kind of summer from day one!) A church member sent me this article they read in American Way, the American Airlines magazine. Thought it was worth passing on to others: Triumph of the Spirit by Todd Aaron Jensen

I am not sure what got me crying first - Mr. Dilligard wearing a bow tie or the entire audience clapping for Ben and his friend, the only two 5th graders in the special education program graduating this year.  No other students received this same ovation. It was heartwarming, and I did breakdown. My crying started that morning, even before the ceremony. I have decided that my emotional turmoil was caused by having to say goodbye to teachers and students that we have known for many years. Knowing that Ben did not truly understand that he was not coming back made me sad for him. The little girl walking with him has been his friend for seven years. He has had a serious crush on her for as long as I can remember. His other friends in the class hug him constantly and worry about him throughout the day. They were a close knit bunch - loving one another and caring about each other. Ben will find new friends, teachers and assistants that love him just as dearly

We have come a long way with Ben's bathroom. NARI and Rebuilding Together Charlotte have kept the project running smoothly with subcontractors coming through to do the foundation, framing, electrical, plumbing, HVAC and insulation. Drywall starts this week and then it's downhill from there. A shout out and BIG thank you to the contractors (all are NARI members) who have donated time, labor and materials to Ben's bathroom so far: DeRhodes Construction  - contracting and managing Queen City Lumber  - framing package and siding Andrew Roby Contracting  - framing labor Bedford Falls Builders  - drywall WAC Contracting  - foundation All About the Pipes  - plumbing Aldred Electric  - electric ABS Insulation  - insulation Quality Comfort  - heating and air conditioning