Snake tying en masse

On Saturday night we had Ben’s 25th birthday party. We loved the energy and happy noise of the night. There were plenty of friends, music, food, laughing, remembering and a highly competitive time devoted to an Allen’s snakes tying race. (Ben was a gifted snake tier.)

We also collected over $600 for the Bone Marrow Transplant Research Laboratory where Tony Schwarer, who was Ben’s specialist, is the head.  We are grateful for so many of Ben’s friends for coming and helping us in our journey. We hope it was an encouragement to them too.

Happy Birthday Ben

Today is Ben’s birthday. He would be 25 today. I don’t seem to have moved very far in my thoughts and feelings. “Why? How can it be? Surely it didn’t happen. Surely God had a better idea than this. Can’t he come back now?” Those questions and many more of a similar sort beat in my brain over and over.

It's good that we don’t know what’s going to happen in the future. I’m glad I still can’t see the future. I’m glad I only have to keep putting one foot in front of the other. I’m grateful for lovely things that keep happening despite pain and loss. I’m glad, so glad we had Ben for all those years.

There are so many memories to make us smile. The ratbag and the contrite, the testosterone charged and the cat lover, "The Backstreet Boys” and "Green Day”, “Nightwish” and “The Corrs”, the super-energetic and the “curl up in a corner with a good book”, roller-hockey and swimming, water-skiing, snow-skiing, friends, fun, food, laughter and serious convictions and commitments all grounded in belief and faith.

We’ll celebrate your birthday with thankfulness for the 23 we had with you.

Lindy