{weekend in review}

So last we left off it was Friday, I went to see Ben and then had the Spring Fling day date.

SATURDAY.
I woke up early and got ready for the ribbon cutting at the Murdock Canal. We stood there as a royalty and looked pretty, we cut the ribbon, and we fake ran (it's hard to real run when you have crowns on) down the trail a little bit.
Later, I went to go see Ben at the hospital. I was so excited to go see him--I was counting down the minutes. As I was walking in the hospital, Ben's two brothers were walking out. We talked for a second and told me they were leaving to go get their mom but their dad was up in the room so I could go see Ben. And they gave me the code to get in. Which is a big deal because only family members are allowed to have the code.. so I was feeling pretty special.
I went up to see him and there was sweet Ben in his unconsciousness. I introduced myself to Ben's dad and immediately we bonded. I love Ben's family, they are just so easy to get along with. I just love them :) Anyway. I was hoping to be there when his coma medicine would wear off (which was scheduled sometime around six) but turns out that at one o'clock, Ben woke up by himself and tried getting out of his bed. His two brothers had to push him back down, "Benjamin! Stay down!" I was a little sad that I wouldn't able to see him awake but it made me giggle that he woke up 5 hours before he was supposed to. That's just  how Ben is. He told me that he was scheduled for surgery or "procedure" as the nurses called it on Monday. I held Ben's hand.. It was so cold and lifeless. I just wanted to know he was in there and acknowledged my presence. I knew he was in there, I just wanted when I squoze his hand for him to squeeze back.

Then it was time for Spring Fling! I picked up Georgia and we went and picked up Ian and Calen. We met the rest of ODC and their dates at Maddie's and we all piled into Liz's 15 passenger van. We took pictures at Q's house then went to Winger's for dinner. Now imagine if you will... about 36 high school students all crammed into the corner of a restaurant. An understatement would be that it was chaos. But it was so fun! And loud! Haha there was popcorn, and they threatened to kick us out if we didn't behave.. but we did, so no worries. We didn't get kicked out. Dinner was yummy and we were all stuffed.
And off to the dance we went! The dance was alright.. the DJ didn't play the best music and everytime we did a mosh pit he'd get mad and punish us with a slow song. Which is a ridiculous punishment, don't you WANT to slow dance with your date? Anyway things got ridiculous and the DJ started yelling at us and saying that "This group of boys is ruining your dance. It's not my fault! It's theirs!" All because we were mosh pitting. He even said "CAN I GET AN ADMINISTRATOR OVER HERE TO ESCORT THESE BOYS OUT!? THEY ARE RUINING THE DANCE!" Which egged those boys on even more, so even though the music was stopped they started another mosh pit. The DJ got so mad, "I JUST GOT PERMISSION TO END THE DANCE IF YOU DON'T STOP!" It was kind of funny... Like seriously dude? You're fighting with high school students... get a life. You're going to get paid whether we mosh or not, so just play the music.
Our group thought it was dumb so we went out to the parking lot opened up all the doors to our car and started our own dance party. Everyone from the dance came out and it was a party.. until someone said the cops were coming. So we got out of their real fast. But our party was NOT over yet. We drove over to Foothill Elementary. And had our own little dance with the 36 of us. But I guess word got around and A LOT of people at the dance showed up at the park. It just kept getting bigger and bigger. A DJ even showed up! A cool one that actually played good music and didn't care if you moshed. It was CRAZY! We were dancing so hard, having a blast, but my group was kind of worried for when the cops would show. We knew they would. It's Foothill, people get the cops called on them all the time at Foothill. But the party lasted for a while until my group finally decided we should probably go... Most of us got in the car but we had a few stragglers who stayed behind, we TRIED getting them to come but they wouldn't. Then.. the cops showed. Man. People got outta their SO fast, it was like a whole bunch of cockroaches. Haha. We sped away real fast but then drove back to get the idiots that stayed behind.
We went back to Maddie's and just hung out for a bit but when Ian, Georgia, Calen, and I were all falling asleep we decided it was probably time to go. We dropped off the boys and went home. Mission accomplished. Spring Fling was a BLAST!

SUNDAY.
Church was good and after church I went to go see Ben again. I called Richard(Ben's dad) first to make sure it was ok that I came. He said yes of course and I'd be able to see him right before they wheel him into "procedure" because he was looking so great that they could do it a day early. When I went, it was Ben's dad and his two brothers Jeremiah and Jake. Man, it was so much fun talking with them. I never wanted to leave! I just feel so comfortable around them. When I touched Ben's hand, it was hot! Not what I was used to from Friday and Saturday! They took him off the cooling and body temperature was back to normal. Ben's grandparents came and I asked if I should go but they assured me I was fine and told me I could stay as long as I liked. I bonded with the grandparents and I just felt like one of the family!
Ben tried opening his eyes and started moving his hands, it kind of scared his grandma so the two grandparents left. Jeremiah and Ben's dad would help Ben relax every time he tried to get up. Then his dad said, "Actually. He's all yours." He made me stand where he was standing and when Ben would try to get up, I'd coax him and help him relax. Just then, Ben's arm came up farther than before and went on my side and he was leaning towards me. It scared me a little bit but I helped him lay back down. Then Jeremiah said, "Amy. You're just too beautiful Ben was trying to give you a hug!" We all laughed. I played with Ben's hair and held his hand. Still lifeless but I liked  holding it anyway.
When I had to go Jeremiah was leaving too to get his mom. I said goodbye to Jake and Richard, then goodbye to Ben. Then Jeremiah put his arm around me and said, "Don't worry Ben. We're taking good care of your girl." I blushed :) then left. As Jeremiah and I were walking out I asked Miah what I could do for them. I kept asking them but they always said nothing. But I REALLY wanted to do something, Jeremiah told me I should make a hulk poster for Ben. So I was going to do just that :)

TODAY.
I don't have the first two class periods, so I thought it was a more than perfect opportunity to go see Ben. I went in, his parents were there and he was awake! Seeing him awake was the best thing of my whole life. He kind of sounds like Batman when he talks just because he's had a tube in his throat for 4 days so it's kind of hard to hear him. But we talked and he was being so funny. He kept asking what time it was and he told me his heart attack was on Tuesday and I'd correct him and say that it was Thursday but he didn't believe me because "I don't even remember Tuesday or Wednesday!" He even gave me some advice:
"Amy. I have some advice for you.. *pause* Don't ever get sick. It sucks." That's the best advice I've ever received :)
I fed him ice chips and when I went to hold his hand, he held it back! When I'd squeeze it he'd squeeze it back! Normally people only hold your hand for so long but he didn't let go of mine :) I stayed there for about an hour and a half and it was getting close to when I had to leave and he said:
"Amy when do you  need to go?"
"I need to leave in about 5 or 10 minutes, is that ok?"
"Well, that's the problem. I DON'T want you to leave."
Then he grabbed my hand and I didn't want to leave!! But I had to.. I promised to come back. It was hard to say goodbye to him, but I'd be back :)