'Son'

Photo by Karla Toomer

This adventure started a little over a year ago. The 'son' in the middle started adopting Bentley and it turned into us 'adopting' him. (Even though he has a loving family that would only give him up on certain days).

'Son' was going to be a senior in high school and is an avid sports guy!! Bentley, an incoming freshman was one of the boys to play quarter back, started throwing in early spring before school would start and 'son' was right by his side the whole time. He pushed and encouraged Bentley and was pretty fun to be around too.

When summer came they continued to practice and play football on some nights. Then it was time for trek, and believe it or not these two boys were in the same family! Less than a week before trek, Owen passed away. This young man and others in the trek family came to visit and support Bentley. I believe because of this friendship Bentley was still willing and wanting to go on trek. We had Owen's funeral the day before they were to leave. The night before they left they had a meeting and 'son' came to get get Bentley to play some more football. He wasn't about to leave Bentley alone.

Later in the summer was football camp and Lenn, Abby and I had left and Bentley was on his own for a day or so. One night I got a call from Bentley and we were in a loud place so it was pretty hard to hear but he sounded funny. I figured it was just the loud background and him not holding still so I carried on a conversation and at the end told him I loved him. Well the reply back was "okay, love you mom". I knew something wasn't right, Bentley doesn't say that in front of friends! Come to find out it was the 'son' in the middle calling me mom. He thought that was pretty funny and started calling me 'mom' to tease me so we started calling him 'son'.

His senior year was spent with crutches, braces and surgeries, instead of practices, games, pins and victories. He was pretty discouraged! Who could blame him? He could have pouted the whole year and been angry and bitter. Instead he was a coach and cheerleader (He wouldn't want to be called a cheerleader). He, along with others, has been such a great role model for our family and especially Bentley!

Why am I writing this? Well it's been on my mind a lot lately so when I saw this photo his real mom posted I had to document it. Six years ago when we left the funeral home after dressing Landry my mom said something that has stuck in my mind. Lenn was heartbroken and discouraged, of course, we all were. We had always planned to have big family and hope they loved sports as much as we did. Lenn had said something about this dream being dashed and not being able to have healthy children. My mom then said that maybe we would have to adopt kids along the way. I have thought of her statement a lot and wondered who that might be and why. This last few weeks I realized exactly what she meant and Ellis is one of those kids. We love him and love what kind of friend and role model he has been to Bentley.

He is now on his mission and we wish him the very best! See ya in two years 'son'!