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A new school year

Grandson Ben is now in his last year of middle school. The new school year began two weeks ago, and this year Ben will be serving on the 8th grade leadership team, which carries several specific responsibilities. He also has been asked to represent his school at Youth Assembly to be held in the state capitol building in Atlanta. (This has special meaning to me, as I represented my school at Youth Assembly a million years ago.)

As I’ve written before, Ben is only 13 years old but is already over six feet tall. So he fits right in with the high school marching band in which he is playing this year. A percussionist in his middle school concert band, Ben is apprenticing with the high school band and will be taking to the field to perform at half-time during high school football games. I will get to see him perform in another week when I make the trip over to attend one of the games. His mom took a few photos at last week’s game, including these of Ben getting his marimba ready to go onto the field.

Thanks to all who have kept Ben in your thoughts and prayers over the years.

#BenStrong #Soli Deo Gloria

And as always: Slava Ukraini! Слава Україні! #StandWithUkraine

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Tall

At 13 years of age, Ben already is very tall, and every time I see him, he seems to have grown even taller.

Here he is beside his mom, who is rather tall herself. They were volunteering at the Give Kids the World village in Florida last week.

And with me, his grandmother, who just reaches his shoulder.

Thanks to all who have kept Ben in your thoughts and prayers over the years.

#BenStrong #Soli Deo Gloria

And as always: Slava Ukraini! Слава Україні! #StandWithUkraine

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The miracle boy is now a teenager!

Nine years ago this month, when he had just turned four years old, grandson Ben had the first of three brain surgeries that would save his life. Yesterday, he became a teenager.

We celebrated early three weeks ago with a trip to Atlanta to watch the soccer match between Atlanta United and the Chicago Fire, which Atlanta won in the last play of the match.

Ben and his dad at the Mercedes Benz stadium prior to the match…

Ben with me and his mom. If I look small beside Ben, it’s because I am. He’s already 6 feet tall…

Yesterday, on his actual birthday, he returned from a three day adventure trip with the entire 7th grade of his school. They had an end-of-the-year bonding trip in Tennessee where they went rock climbing and ziplining. Even though Ben returned with a story of having to remove a leech from his foot and with injuries (an injured knee that was swollen to twice its normal size, a bumped head, and sore feet because he went without shoes for part of the trip), he downplayed and was even proud of the injuries.

An amazingly helpful and compassionate young man, he carried others’ luggage and helped in any ways he could, and he didn’t get to go ziplining, in part because he helped get an injured friend back down the mountain (after stepping on a snake that was headed in the friend’s direction while she was on the ground). This kid!

As school nears the summer holidays, Ben is planning to go on several mission trips. In addition, he will be attending high school band camp even though he won’t be in high school for another year. He plays percussion in the middle school concert band but has been asked to join the high school marching band’s drum line at football games next year.

That’s Ben in the back with the drums during his recent band concert…

As always, we are so proud of this young man and so grateful to everyone who has kept Ben in your thoughts and prayers.

#BenStrong #Soli Deo Gloria

And as always: Slava Ukraini! Слава Україні!

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He’s come a long way!

Sometimes it’s hard to believe that my little grandson, who at the age of 4 had two brain surgeries that saved his life, went from looking like this…

To looking like this today…

Ben is only 12 years old, but he is so tall that he towers over me…

He does not remember anything at all about his health problems as a young child. When he was only 3, he was diagnosed with an arteriovenous fistula (a vascular abnormality) in his brain. It was a life-threatening condition, and he had two brain surgeries at the age of 4 and another surgery the following year, all done by the world-renowned New York doctor, Dr. Alex Berenstein, who developed the procedure for repairing AV fistulas in children. Ben was declared cured and has grown into a fine young man who excels academically, plays sports, plays percussion in his school’s concert band, and volunteers in his community.

I’ve been blessed to spend a lot of time with him lately. At a recent football game, his middle school concert band was invited to march on the football field with the high school marching band, and I made the trip over to see him on the field. (The middle schoolers all wore orange shirts.)

This past weekend, the concert band had their Christmas performance.

And then there was soccer. Ben’s team won runner-up in the regional tournament, and third place in the state championship. We sat in the cold rain this weekend to watch the state championship matches, and it was a challenge to keep my camera dry, but we had a wonderful time. (Ben is the tall player in the bright orange shoes.)

As always, we are so proud of this young man and so grateful to everyone who has kept Ben in your thoughts and prayers.

#BenStrong #Soli Deo Gloria

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Back to School

If I live to be 150 years old I won’t get over the fact that schools around here now begin the new school year the first week of August. And on a Friday. When I was in school… But that’s ancient history, and now is now.

Grandson Ben is now in 7th grade, the middle grade of middle school. He began school on Friday after spending a summer of fun and volunteer service as part of a group that not only did volunteer work locally but also made two out-of-state trips to perform volunteer service.

First day of 7th grade

Every summer, the group travels to the small town of Bayou Le Batre, Alabama, a fishing village that is located on the Gulf of Mexico and is known for its seafood processing and shipbuilding industries. There they engage in a number of community service and outreach projects to this community that has been greatly affected over the years by hurricanes and oil spills.

In Bayou Le Batre. Ben is on the left, leaning against the fence.

For the first time this summer, the group also volunteered for a week at Give Kids the World Village, an 89-acre resort in Central Florida for disabled and critically ill children and their families. Since its inception Give Kids the World has offered cost-free week-long vacations to over 177,000 families from all 50 states in the U.S. and from 76 countries.

A still image of Ben from a video produced after the group’s week of volunteer work was concluded.

I’m very proud of this young man (who now stands heads and shoulders above me), and I wish him well in school this year and in all that he does.

#BenStrong #Soli Deo Gloria

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Our miracle boy is 12!

Grandson Ben celebrated his 12th birthday this week, and I was so glad I was able to make the trip last weekend to watch him play in a soccer match and to celebrate early with him.

Ben does not remember anything at all about his health problems as a young child. When he was only 3, he was diagnosed with an arteriovenous fistula (a vascular abnormality) in his brain. It was a life-threatening condition, and he had two brain surgeries at the age of 4 and another surgery the following year, all done by the world-renowned New York doctor, Dr. Alex Berenstein, who developed the procedure for repairing AV fistulas in children. Ben was declared cured and has grown into a fine young man who excels academically, plays sports, and volunteers in his community.

This Spring he chose to play soccer rather than baseball, and I was able to watch him play in one match at least. In the photos, he is the tall player, number 32, with the blue and hot-pink shoes…

It did rain during the match

The following night we went to see a professional soccer match between the Chattanooga Red Wolves and the Northern Colorado Hailstorms, which we all thoroughly enjoyed. I love soccer! Ben posed with the Red Wolves’ mascot…

This weekend, Ben celebrated again, this time with three friends who all went bowling and played laser tag and arcade games together.

Happy birthday, Ben!

As always, many thanks to everyone who has kept Ben in your thoughts and prayers.

#BenStrong #Soli Deo Gloria

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Beginning another school year: Ben is in middle school

Another school year began yesterday (on a Friday), and our miracle boy is now in a different school. Ben is now in grade six which, along with grades seven and eight, comprise what in my day was called junior high school but now is middle school.

Ben with his dad
Ben with his mom

His school day will be longer with fewer breaks during the day, and although one of his parents will be able to take him to school in the mornings, he will be riding the school bus home in the afternoons.

Ben wants to learn to play a musical instrument, and this year he will be able to learn at school and to play in the school band. He also will be able to further his interest in science by studying robotics.

Best wishes, Ben, for a great school year!

As always, many thanks to everyone who has kept Ben in your thoughts and prayers.

#BenStrong #Soli Deo Gloria

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Our miracle boy won his school’s top honor!

Seven years after his first brain surgeries, grandson Ben has won his school’s top award. Last week, the day before school was out for the summer, Ben was named Mr. Westside in an awards ceremony in which he also received other recognitions. We are so very proud of him!

Ben’s school, Westside Elementary, includes Pre-K through 5th grade. He has attended school there since he was 4 years old in Pre-K, and this year he officially graduated from 5th grade. As part of the graduation ceremony, two students, one boy (Ben) and one girl, were named Mr. and Miss Westside, an honor awarded by the entire faculty and staff of the school. Criteria for the honor included: having been a student in the school since Kindergarten, academic excellence, involvement in extra curricular activities at the school and in the wider community, and excellence in character.

Mr. and Miss Westside

Fifth Grade Graduation

Proud Parents

Westside “Rockets” since Kindergarten

Ben is one of only a few students who have been at Westside (which has 660 students) from Kindergarten through 5th grade. (Miss Westside not pictured.)

Congratulations, Ben! And thanks again to all who have kept Ben in your thoughts and prayers.

#BenStrong #Soli Deo Gloria

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Happy 11th birthday, Ben!

Our miracle boy turned 11 last week and had an outdoor party last Saturday, attended by family, friends and neighbors. I was able to drive the two and a half hours to be there for the entire weekend, but taking photos took a back seat to enjoying the day. I took a grand total of two good photos.

Ben loves the Atlanta Braves baseball team, and his party carried the Braves theme through even to the large chocolate chip cookie cake…

Ben (the tall one on the left) and his best friend J. were clowning around so much it was difficult to capture them both, but I did my best. The family is so grateful for the friendship between these young men. The night before the party, they built a tent in the family room, using dining room chairs and bed sheets, and they slept all night in sleeping bags on the floor under their indoor tent. Such fun!

Happy birthday, Ben!

#Ben Strong #Soli Deo Gloria

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It’s baseball season

If it’s Spring it must be baseball season. Baseball is just one of the sports Ben plays, and our hind catcher of five years ago now plays first base and also is becoming a good pitcher. I was able to see one of his games last week when I drove over to help out after his mom had an operation. His baseball team had its last game of the regular season tonight, so I won’t get to see him play again until next year.

In two days our miracle boy will celebrate his 11th birthday. Thanks to everyone who has followed his story and all who have kept him in your thoughts and prayers.