Dear Ben,

Here we are, about to celebrate your last birthday before you officially become an adult, and the last birthday you’ll spend here at home before heading off to college!

This year has seen a huge shift in your level of independence, so as hard as it is to imagine that you won’t be living here (at least full-time) next year, I’m confident you’ll be ready for the additional responsibilities. Getting your license earlier this year was a game changer. You’ve been getting yourself to school, work, sports practices, and social events - and now that your preliminary nine month period is up, you’re happily driving friends around, too. You’ve proven to have the maturity to handle your new freedom, and it’s been a lot of fun to watch you enjoying it!

You’ve also been doing a lot to prepare for your next step in life, focusing on schoolwork and grades and getting all of your college applications submitted. You met all of the earliest deadlines - and even though the essays were a challenge for you, they got done! I know sometimes I can get on your case, worrying that you aren’t prioritizing the tougher tasks, and I’m sorry if that can be irritating. I think you can admit to a tendency toward procrastination, and I want to instill in you some healthier habits before you’re away at college without the benefit of my reminders. It can drive me crazy when you have work to do and you’re happy to just leave it until later. When left on your own, though, you have impressed me by making sure to meet your deadlines. How about this… I will try to trust your plan if you try to do a little less at-the-last-minute planning?

There are still a lot of lessons I’d like to share with you. I’d like to help you learn to be more organized, maybe learning to write things down instead of just hoping you’ll remember them. I’d like to teach you a good handful of recipes you can cook on your own. I want to encourage you to continue developing your empathy and relationship skills. I want to be sure you can sew a button back on a shirt if you need to. There are dozens of things I want to tell you before you head off to college without us - and luckily I still have most of a year before that happens. I want to enjoy every day I have with you, before you belong to the rest of the world, too. Don’t be surprised if I seem a little overbearing sometimes. I promise I’ll do my best to rein it in - but I want to take advantage of every moment I get!

I look forward to watching you go through all of the "lasts" that accompany senior year.  We've already seen your last homecoming dance and your last soccer season (and all of the emotion that came with celebrating senior night), and there are going to be so many more moments to come.  I am so proud of all you have accomplished, and all you continue to pursue.  I know there are amazing things ahead for you in this life, and I'm excited to see them all - but right now, I don't want to rush! 

I love you so much.

Mama