Progress

I was sitting in Ben's room, taking turns with him building blocks at his little table.

"Your turn," I said to him.

"Your turn," he mimicked.

"Ben, look at me." His blue eyes met mine. "Listen, and wait," I told him. "Your turn - you go." I put my finger to my mouth as if to say "shh" and Ben was quiet. He then took his turn.

"You.." I prompted.

"Your turn!" he squealed. I giggled. He did too.

I put the blocks away, then asked him, "what's your name?"

"Ben Donaldson."

I lifted him up out of his chair and threw him up in the air until he was laughing uncontrollably. “Yay!” I shouted. “You said your FULL name!”

I heard Lisa laugh from the other room. Then we all laughed together. Then I remembered. Time was ticking.

What, I thought... what was I going to do without this child in my life?

After The Fact

I continued my time with Ben, and couldn't believe the progress he was making. Throughout the next couple of weeks, Sally would call, but I wouldn't answer - just as I was advised to do. Ben never failed to shock me with things he knew, his eagerness to learn, his desire for an interaction with me and the rest of the world.

He blossomed into a happy, cheerful, playful child -- it was almost hard to tell he had a diagnosis.
But yet, we continued to work, and he continued to strive. He flew through his programs, and started speaking three and four word utterances. His new programmer, Janet, did an exceptional job keeping his book up to date. I never did tell her though, that Ben and I did our own thing together. That we had a special bond. That I cared so much for him. At work I did my job; it just meant so much more to me than just a job.

The weeks flew by, and summer approached. I started getting nervous. I knew that when Ben turned three, our time would be up. What would happen then?

My Sista's Back

FYI: My sister has finally started posting on her blog again. It's "flutist" on my blogroll. She changed the website but I now updated it on my link list. I invite you all to check out her blog!

~ Psyched

The Revealing Phone Call (Part 2)

It all made sense now. Every last bit. But how could I have not seen it before??

I think I did, though... on some weird level. Sally never sat right with me, but domestic violence? Images flooded my mind, of Ben watching fights.

Knives…yelling…throwing…threatening...

I was scared.

I cleared my throat and found my words.

“I am so glad Ben is safe now.” (Was that all I could manage to spit out??)

“He is, although you are not allowed to answer any of Sally’s calls. She will try and get hold of you, as she has done with us.”

“I won’t,” I replied.

“This is serious, Mindy. No one is to hear of Ben’s progress but Lisa and her husband.”

“Okay.” I managed to choke out.

And with that, I hung up the phone.

Anyone Can Make A Difference

Change The World! http://www.makeadifferencemovie.com/