Adventures in Bennionland

“My mother had a great deal of trouble with me, but I think she enjoyed it”
~ Mark Twain ~

For five years I’ve been blessed to be this little man’s mom. Five years that have flown fast. He is joy and trouble, fun and challenge, and true hearty love.

This little boy makes me feel. Feel everything. Mostly, feel grateful that I get to be his mom.

Five things you should know about Walker:
1 – His favorite, and sometimes only, food is a quesadilla.
2 – His best friend Jacobsen is often by his side and is usually at fault for any trouble. And yes Jacbosen is imaginary.
3 – When confronted by news he doesn’t like he is likely to shrug his shoulders down and mope off…but when he’s confronted by good news he is likely to jump right into your lap and smother you with kisses.
4 – Knows all the words to Ironman by Ozzy Osborne and would tell you that’s his favorite song.
5 – Every emotion is expressed with his body. He is so physical it’s unreal. From hugs that are superman strength to rhythm that he must march out, his body is his major communication tool.

Happy 5th Birthday Walker. We love you.

(for anyone who wants to reflect on Walker’s past, like his sappy mom, enjoy these videos)

Birth Announcement
First Snow
Crawling

For over a month now Will’s bottom front two teeth have been wiggly. This past week one made a definite move from wiggly to loose, and last night it feel right out!*

He is one thrilled kid!

*and I’m one thrilled Mom since watching that tooth come out (or helping it on it’s way) was about the last thing I wanted to do. So what joy to find that he woke up with it out of his mouth and laying on his bed! Now…if only the others would do that too…

“Westerners arriving in Africa for the first time are always struck by its beauty and size – even the sky seems higher. And they often find themselves suddenly cracked open. They lose inhibitions, feel more alive, more themselves, and they begin to understand why, until then, they have only half lived.” (Richard Dowden, Africa)
   
I have cracked open.
   
There is no better way to say it. No better way to succinctly describe my trip.
   
In Kenya, I was the best pieces of myself. Everything I wish I could be all the time. Everything I wish everyone could know about me surfaced and shined.
   
I was me.
   
I cannot wait to tell you all about it.
   
But I find myself short on time.
  
I returned home to find sixteen days of life waiting for me to catch up. And jet lag. And two boys (well, three really) who couldn’t wait to fill me in on their own adventures. My best guy left two days after I returned for his own adventure (and it paid off!). And school starts on Thursday. I got off the plane and started running again after sixteen days of walking through life.
  
No time to sort my pictures – no time to blog.
  
If you’re dying to know, call me.
  
I will post though. I promise I will tell you everything – or at least try to capture it. Because I want to share it with you – quite frankly I want to bundle up everyone I know and love and take you there.
  
In the meantime I am savoring my days with the boys before their days are no longer mine.
  
“In Africa the essentials of existence – light, earth, water, food, birth, family, love, sickness, death – are more immediate, more intense. Visitors suddenly realize what life is for. To risk a huge generalization: amind our wasteful wealth and time-pressed lives we have lost human values that still abound in Africa.” (again, Richard Dowden, Africa)