How can you sum up a boy like Ben? A boy full of life, and love, and laughter who hit the ground running from the moment he woke up in the morning until he giggled himself to sleep at night. Ben's dad Robert says that the Christmas Ben was one or two he sat in of of Grandma's wooden bowls with a golf ball stuck in his mouth he was born to entertain us all...and entertain us he did. When Ben started to crawl his first adventure was right out the door to the mechanic's barn. He quickly became a permanent fixture... pacifier in mouth..diaper on his bottom and covered in grease. He loved the barn with all the tools, the bolts, the nuts, the complete mess and he loved the men that ventured into that world. Ben joined the elite society of the Barn Boys as a toddler and never once looked back. Ben was 3 1/2 before he finally began speaking. He teased us for a few years with words here and there. But, once he began to talk..well..he never stopped. Ben adored his father from the very beginning it wasn't just Dad...it was "where is my friend Daddy?" His simple words, though turned into huge whoppers.. a wild imagination that spun stories which rarely bordered on reality. Sara was concerned with his foray into the fantasy world but our Dad who always referred to him as "Mr. Ben" saw his potential early on and refused to ler her squash his imagination. She did though, at times...just have to ask, "Dude, are we playing in fantasy or reality world, now?" Ben always answered truthfully, but did confess that the fantasy world seemed so much more interesting. Raising Ben was a wild, wonderful, roller coaster ride. Public school was not an easy fit for Ben. He quickly became disenchanted, bored, and restless. He repeatedly asked to be home schooled. After researching, testing, and advice his Parents finally agreed and another journey began. Ben blossomed with his time at home. He excitedly explored chemistry, physics, latin and read voraciously. Ben joined Brice's Taekwondo and found a wonderful group of people to support his growth. His sleeping habits, though, did not improve with his time at home. Often he would read all night or wake up in the middle of the night and feel the need to read. Many times, his voice could be heard at 4 am.. "Hey mom, can fission be natural or just man made.. Mom you wanna know how nuclear generators work?...or Mom why cant we come up with fuel that won't hurt the ozone layer?" The questions were endless because his brain was always on fire soaking up any and all information... and some of that information... Well...let's just say drove his Momma' crazy. Ben loved jokes and was especially cracked up by humor about bodily functions. On a trip to an Antique Farm show with his dad and buddy Tim, he memorized an entire CD of Larry the Cable Guy and to his mother's horror recited it all on his return. She was convinced that there wasn't an adult present on that trip. Ben was convinced that he had tons of new material to try.. and try he did... to anyone he could reel in. Because of his love for learning and his perverse love of silly jokes a buddy's dad called him a "Redneck Genius" and somehow that title seemed to fit him perfectly. Eating was never a concern for Ben. Not exactly being a family trait, this concerned his Aunt Julie. Convinced he must have tapeworms, she threatened Robert and Sara with Child Protection Services if Ben didn't eat and start to resemble the rest of the family. Ben, of course, pushed the envelope by pulling up his shirt and exposing his skinny arms, sticking out his ribcage like a refugee, and gleefully saying, "See, I'm gaining weight!" Making his father giggle was truly one of the highlights of Ben's day. He accomplished this best by hassling his Mother. He loved to tease her and could be heard nightly running across the house hysterically giggling.."Dad...I got her again!" Because of the non-stop roughhousing and the jokes and the activity- Sara nicknames their house "The Testosterone Zone". Don't think though that Ben wasn't a little loving fellow.. as he would run out the door on his latest adventure it was always, "Love you, Mom...Love you, Dad!" and love each other they did. Sometimes, looking out the kitchen window they would see Ben roaming across the fields like the Pied Piper..the horses.. the dogs... and even the chickens could be seen trailing along after him. He adored all living creatures and was an avid "bug saver" working for hours to catch creepy crawlies in the house and safely release them outside. Other than his father and Mr. Clark one of his other heroes was Steve Irwin, The Crocodile Hunter. It wasn't just Irwin's infectious personality that attracted Ben it was his passion for saving and protecting wild life.. a cause that Ben thoroughly supported. His menagerie of friends included many furry ones as well as many wonderful children that meandered in and out of his world. Our dear Ben was an adventurer at heart, an explorer an inventor and truly curious about the world and how things worked. He was a boy without fear in many ways.. jumping on his new trampoline was okay.. but what if you jumped on the trampoline from an extension ladder? .. or from the roof? Sara was always having to say, "Dude, what are you thinking?" Ben was constantly building..robotics, catapults, air cannons, and basically anything to crash and bang. Many projects he had in mind..a 10 foot catapult, ramps for his go cart, a tree house complete with a turret. He could be heard daily saying, "Dad, Dad.. we have so much to do!" Some kids loved to travel, some kids love to be in many activities, Ben loved the hill. He loved the freedom, the pool, the trees, and the animals. His day wasn't complete without doing a tour of the property and checking out all the nooks and crannies. Happiness for Ben always included home, family, animals, and friends. The paradise which was Ben's world was created by the love the three of of them had for eachother. Sara and Robert wound their world around their son and his world around theirs. The happiness found in this little boy's life is a testament to this love and one we should all learn from. Ben had a love for music that was quite different than most 11 year olds of today. He loved music from the 60's and 70's...the rock and roll of the ages and of fun, adventure and freedom. His favorite song of all was "Born to be Wild" and it paints a far truer picture of Ben and his life than any story every could. I would like to ask a favor of each of you... Please the next time you get a chance, don't be afraid to stick a golf ball in your mouth, don't hesitate to catch a bug and set it free, the next time you see a shooting star.. Think of our Ben and smile for all of us. |
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