Benjamin Jacob

Happy Birthday Benjamin!

(a.k.a. MeMe)

~Check Out This Day In History: November 15~

My first memory of Benjamin is the phone call we got from the hospital to announce that we were the proud new owners of a baby brother. 

I had been praying for a sister for a long time but God always knows what's best. I think there was some expectation that I would be disappointed, but I really wasn't. When you are a 7 year old girl and a real live baby comes to live at your house... how can you be disappointed? Besides, my baby doll Moses was the happy recipient of all Baby Benjamin's hand-me-down clothes and... ironically, his Moses Basket. 

All it meant to be told we had been given a brother was that I must continue praying. Which I did. Until it worked. Which it did. 

...my Prayed For Sister would be delivered by the next stork two years later. But, how lucky am I? 

I got more than I asked for in a good way...doubly blessed, you could say.

:) 

I also remember helping dad convert the toy room into a nursery- helping run a Muppet Babies wall paper border around the room... I still think of Ben anytime I see Baby Kermie :) 

When I think of Ben, I think about many of our shared tastes in reading, food and music. I think back to when we both lived in Kentucky and he was learning to drive. About how we stayed up all night making marzipan Veggie Tales for Chandler's birthday cake. The storm thru town we made, looking for an appropriate liquor (& cheese) to make fondue (Barren County is indeed dry & barren when it comes to alcohol) We used Cooking Wine if I recall. 

I don't have time to list all of my favorite Ben Memories- but I can say that I am glad there is a Benjamin Jacob Carnes in this world~ and I am blessed that's he's my brother. 

Putting together a photo collage, as I did on Jamela's birthday, would not be gift-like to Uncle Ben. Another thing we share is a "super-critical-of-photos-of-ourselves" gene... I am almost certain he dislikes just about every photo I own of him, save perhaps the baby ones that have yet to be scanned in. 

So, the BrewCrew collaborated on a Wordle instead...each kid gave me at least three words that came to mind when I said "Uncle Ben"- if a word appears largely in the Wordle, it was offered by more than one contributor.  I added some words from my own memories...and then we tweaked the colors to fit the kids' insistence that it contain red, white and blue.
This UncleBenBen Birthday Wordle is in no way exhaustive...but it is created with lots and lots of love :)

Of course, I think a birthday isn't a HAPPY BIRTHDAY without at least ONE photo from the past.
So...

This one was taken after Ben's graduation from NGU.
He's so awesome, he not only graduated with honors but was also bestowed with an honorary
  RED HATTER Membership.

Little Known Fact: Only Two Men In The Whole World Hold Honorary Red Hat Membership:
 Benjamin Jacob Carnes & CHUCK NORRIS.