Barrett Joseph Benson,
Happy Birthday, my sweet boy! Today, August 5th, changes everything. You change everything. We will not remember life without you from this moment forward and life will be enriched beyond compare just by your presence.
Today, you make me a mother! I will, from this day forward, always be a mother, your mother. With that comes a lot of responsibility, patience, and unconditional love. No one in this world will love you the way I love you or as much as I love you! Sure, your daddy loves you, too, very much, but I've known you 40 weeks, 3 days longer.
Grow, little one. Grow to be big and strong (eat your veggies). Grow to love people and forgive people. Grow to be passionate about life and about your interests. Grow to adapt when life throws you curve balls and grow to change. Grow to admit when you are wrong and to learn to say "I am sorry." Grow to laugh and be bold. Grow to stand firm in what you believe and to never make excuses for who you are. Grow to know who you are and to love yourself humbly. Grow to follow your dreams and to never, ever give up. Grow to be resolved to let a part of yourself "never grow up," to keep your innocence and see the world through the eyes of a child. Grow to love Jesus first and above all else. Grow into a man, to be you, to find yourself. Grow to leave an unmistakable mark on this world, for the better.
My hope for you is that you will be worthy of your names, all three. Barrett is a strong surname, representative of your maternal side. My heart aches that you will never know on this earth the two people closest to me that carried this name as theirs for 65 years and 61 years respectively. Cecil Barrett would have been your great-grandfather, and you would have been his first (great) grandson. He would have adored you. He would have driven you around in his ole blue truck, taught you how to build things, and shown you how to love all the women in your life (and there are many to love). Frances Barrett would have been your great-grandmother, and you would have been her first (great) grandson. She fought hard to meet you but she missed you by a couple of years. She loved your daddy, even knowing him only a short time, and I know she would have loved you, too. She would have taught you to can mayhaw jelly, shuck corn, grow anything, and how to laugh. Boo, your grandmother, and Nona, your great aunt Debbie, still carry Barrett as their middle name . They will spoil you and love you like no one else can or will. I hope you realize from an early age how lucky you are to call them your own. Cousin Karen/ Kiwi carries your name, too. She will teach you to skateboard (her new hobby) and how to create beauty from a blank canvas. What a strong name we will call you, one strong enough to be repeated should the Lord bless our extended family with more children; be worthy of it.
Most people do not have the opportunity to meet their great-grandparents let alone their great-great-grandparents. Lord-willing, you will meet all four of your great-grandparents on your paternal side, your great-great-grandmother, and your great-great-great Uncle Joe, Joseph McAllister! Your dad loves his Uncle Joe, and I've grown to love him, too, in the short time I've known him. Your daddy proposed to me on Uncle Joe's farm. I know you will help your dad and Pa finish rebuilding one of Uncle Joe's tractors and will one day retrace Uncle Joe's tracks from times-gone-by on the farm. Your Uncle Joe is 91 years young and is one of the greatest storytellers. Learn from him to live a life of adventure, a life of stories deserving to be retold to many future generations. Live on the edge, like driving without a license like he continues to do. Love your country, your state, your job, and your community well, like he continues to do. Be proud!
And, of course, you will always be a Benson, a name that will hopefully change a young lady's YEARS down the road, a name that you will give your children, a name that will forever be your surname. People may call you "Benny," if you are so lucky or maybe even "Benford." In many ways, it is your most important name, the name that will follow you for a lifetime and beyond. Benson is indicative of your family's history, past, presence, and future. Remember who you are and know that the decisions you make and the life you lead will shape the Benson name forever.
Sweet Barrett, I cannot wait to see you grow into a beautiful blend of me and your daddy, the good traits and the bad, the stunning good looks and charm, the passion for sports, the love for the finer things, and the genuine zest for life. I love you beyond words and am beyond blessed that I was called to be your mother. Be easy on me, as this is all new to me and I'm bound to get some things wrong. We will be okay; we are in this together.
On this day, we will shower you with gifts for many years to come, but please know that ultimately on this day, YOU were the greatest gift ever given. Happy Birthday!
LUTM,
Mommy
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