'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'!

San Diego-Last Day

Day 5
Our last day was spent traveling home. When we started through the airport we started seeing signs about dumping all liquid, we kind of ignored them thinking we were fine when we flew out of SLC. We were 100% WRONG! Every bag got checked but Bentley's. 
Lenn was smuggling coke from Mexico, you know the coca cola,(the bottles were cute) and his big bottle of aloe vera. 
Abby had about 6 capri suns hidden throughout her bag, thanks to Bentley packing them. 
I had forgotten about the bottle of water I had packed in my bag. Jeez what heathens we are! It was a little embarrassing. 

We made it through security...finally. Then we were off to Phoenix where we had a lay over for a few hours and then finally back to SLC. The ride in to SLC made us all sick but Abby. The weather was clear but it was sure a rough ride. I am not a huge fan of flying anyway! We made it and are so grateful to be home safely.

That was our trip in memory of Owen. We sure love and miss that cute, special boy in our lives.

San Diego-Day 4

Day 4
We started our day with McDonalds breakfast, our favorite. Then our plan for the day was to relax at the Bahia resort we were staying at. We rented two fun cats and explored the bay. The one Lenn and I were in had a bad battery so at the end of our time Bentley and Abby pulled it into shore. We relaxed at the bay for the morning.
After a late lunch we got ready and Lenn and I went to the temple while Bentley and Abby went to a movie. I was pretty nervous the whole time about them being alone, in California, at a movie theater!!! Lenn assured me they would be okay, but I still wasn't quite sure. We got there before the movie was over then ate at P.F. Changs. 
We went back to the temple to show the kids and take pictures, it is a beautiful temple. Made me think that heaven might look a little like that.

 Bentley's funky burn.

 Sweet boys!

San Diego-Day 3

Day 3

 We did have more sunscreen than this, it just didn't get used as it should have....

 Sandcrabs

 Bentley made a rope out of seaweed and had Abby 'walk' for him. Only Bentley ;)

 Yummy!

This caught my eye as we were walking around the stadium.....so true.

We spent most of the day at the ocean! We had a lot of fun. Yes, I even played in the water. When it was time to go we all decided to go eat at the Pizzeria again. So yummy! 
The day was going great until we started feeling our sunburns. I guess we didn't realize how long we were there. I think Lenn got it the worst. I should have known and vetoed his sunscreen techniques! He was spraying the little can on himself and it was almost out so he was saving some for later....not a good idea! Bentley got a funky looking mark on his back because he wouldn't hold still long enough for me to get his entire back. Abby thought her legs would tan....umm, no!
We headed back to our room, we traded rooms and it was supposed to be done when we got back. It wasn't and we were in a hurry to shower and be off to a ball game. They finally let us in a room they never rent out to shower and get ready. We were so grateful because time was running out! We were supposed to be at the stadium no later than 4 p.m.. That didn't happen, but we hurried. Then there was traffic!! But we made it in time to see them warm up for a little while. Lenn had called a lady to get tickets and she got us pregame field tickets. Lenn and Bentley were pretty stoked to be at a professional baseball game!
We watched the game and cheered on San Diego. It was a blow out, poor Padres! We decided to leave early so we would make it back for the Sea World fireworks. We had to make a quick stop for some aloe vera, but made it back in time for some amazing fireworks! Sunday night there was one firework total. Monday night it was so foggy we couldn't really see them but this night was spectacular and I knew Owen and Landry had the best seats ever.

San Diego-Day 2

Our finding from day 1 in Mexico, Curious George and an elephant, both for Owen.

Day 2

We started with a flat tire on the dodge charger Lenn and Bentley had to have;) It had to be a cool car. The rental company said they would send someone over but it would take most of the day. Lenn took matters into his own hands and had it changed in no time. Now we had a charger with a donut.

We had Sea World in the plans for the day. We had fun but it was really humid so it felt HOT!! 

After a day of fun we decided to look in the gift shop just for fun. Bentley found 4 and only 4 bracelets with Owen on them. We had to buy them all.

Afterwards we went to trade the car with the donut, and we got a newer charger. The boys were tickled.We went back to where we were staying and rode the Bahia Belle across the bay, ate at a little place that made us nervous but tasted great and then rode it back. It was fun and amusing!

While we were on the other side of the bay we kept seeing these lights fall. We got closer to see what they were and they were little helicopters you launch into the air with a light on them and then they 

slowly twirl down. Lenn and the kids had to get one. 

View from our room, no wonder it was humid!

George soakin' up the sun.

Bentley's faces again. 

They were checking out what Lenn knew was a 'dead' seal. It wasn't, thank goodness.

The sea lion show was our favorite.

The sky ride....air conditioning!!!

Riding the tram.

Bentley and Abby waited in line for about an hour for this ride. Hope it was worth it!

We were so excited to ride this huge, fancy Bahia Belle. We got closer and realized the Bahia Belle was a little one hidden behind the big one. It was still pretty cool though.

The humidity was so thick the flash caught it on the camera.

We ate near the ocean so after dinner we walked the beach.

Bentley and Abby's first time at the ocean.