Today is one of the monumental birthdays, "18"!
As like most parents, I sit in awe that one of my children is actually "18"! While I am sad to see how time has passed I am also grateful to see the young man he has become today.
Espen has always been one of those boys that has to keep up with his older brother. Which means a life full of Adventure!
This adventurous boy has overcome a lot in his life.
At the age of 12 he was around a chimmey stove and got to close and was burned on his face. Although the doctors worried about his charred breath and his corneas, he healed beautifully. I praise God for his healing. Looking at Espen today you can not tell that he was burned.
The Chiari Journey
A year later, Espen was experiencing some symptoms and I prompted my doctor for an MRI. The MRI revealed he had Chiari malformation 1. We spent a year researching and going to different doctors until we felt confident that Espen needed the surgery. So at the age of 14 Espen went through a 6 hour brain surgery. That was probably the most scary time in my life. The healing from that surgery was painfully excoriating. It still brings tears to my eyes remembering the pain he went through. He has made a wonderful recovery. If you ask him if he is glad he did the surgery he says, "Absolutely".
Since the surgery he continues to live life to the fullest.
The Character of a Gentleman
A Gentleman is defined as a chivalrous, courteous or honorable man. This is what Espen grown to be. He is a friend to many and loves to serve others. For the past 3 Summers he has been a lifeguard at a local pool. This job is good for him because he gets to know people and be available to serve them as they enjoy their Summer fun. Another job he loves is working at a local coffee shop. There he smiles, chats and serves up a great cup of coffee. We are very proud of him!
Adventure Awaits!
He still tries to keep up with his older brother, it will always be a contest. I will sit back with 
