Happy Gradulations

Our babysitter is graduating from high school this year. I am not sure what we will do! She has watched our kids since we moved. As a matter of fact, she babysat for us when it was just one kid. When Ben and Lauren were newborns she brought a friend a couple times to help her until she got used to taking care of all of them. Her parents credit us for a lifetime worth of birth control. She tells her parents how tired she is after an evening with our kids, but she is great with them and they love her! Travis picked up some pearls for her graduation gift while he was in China. Jack practiced saying "Happy Graduation" over and over before she arrived. When she finally came to the door Jack froze up and said "Happy Gradulations!" then sheepishly turned to me and asked "did I say it wrong?” It was so cute!

I have realized that I haven't posted much about Ben. He doesn't talk, so he doesn't say funny things like Jack and he doesn't have near the attitude that provokes a blog like Lauren. Benny is currently my pleaser. He is always quick to smile and give kisses, unlike his sister who is currently saving her kisses for a rainy day, or possibly marriage. He loves to dance to any music, especially when I sing "There was a mommy, had a boy and Benny was his namo, B-E-N-N-Y, B-E-N-N-Y, B-E-N-N-Y, and Benny was his namo". He is my go to kid if I am feeling down because I can be guaranteed a smile and a kiss. I love looking into his brown eyes and wondering if that is what my grandma saw when she looked into my dad's little brother's eyes. Steve died at about Ben's age of Leukemia; I can't imagine how my grandparents dealt with losing him. I am certain I wouldn't be as strong as they were, which is just one of the many reasons I admire them!