Moms and Stinky Teens

We have had a really busy couple of weeks. Bri went to camp last week, came back on Monday and then left again on Friday for a mission trip to Mexico. She will be assisting the team in ministering to the Tarahumaran Indians in the Sierra Madre Mountains. Until recently we had never even heard of them.

Bri seems so determined to be a career missionary. I dont know where her drive comes from...I am not overly driven even now but at 15 she is truly amazing. It is really scary as her mom but as a fellow Christian it is inspiring. This trip and many others she intends to take are carefully thought out and intended to be used as part of her job training. I am not sure what her responsibilites will be on this trip other than playing with the kids. The weather should be warm or hot in the day and cool at night with rain expected every day.

They will be camping for about a week with no access to a shower. She took some baby wipes and that is the extent of her ability to clean herself.
She has known for months about this trip but didn't begin getting ready until the day before she left. I thought I would go nuts. It drove me crazy that she wasn't ready and worse wasnt rushing to get everything done. Her bags had to be packed and at the church by Thursday evening. She started doing her laundry Thursday.

So, all of the above random thoughts were leading up to this one life changing questions...WHY would a mom go crazy trying to make sure her unconcerned teen gets clean clothes packed to go on a trip where no showers are available?

My Girls

I love to talk about my girls. I frequently wonder if I bore everyone around me by talking about them all the time. Every conversation somehow leads me to talking about one or both of them. Here is an example of just some of the things I love about my girls.

BRI My beautiful teen
*I love Bri's spiritual gift and ability to use it. She is gifted in avangelism. She fearlessly talks about God and gets her peers to come to church, even if only to socialize at first. She wants to be a career missionary in South Africa.

*I love her 'like me as I am' or don't attitude.

* I love how she sees herself as blessed because she isn't a camel trying to squeeze thru the eye of a needle.

*I love how she packs. She starts with a huge bag of books and if there is room left over a few clean clothes (no promises on that one) will get crammed in.

*I love how she has always been close to other adults that were not even family.


SAVANNA my bubbly preschooler
* I love how she drives me crazy talking ALL the time. If her eyes are open her mouth is moving. If her eyes are not open, its a 50/50 chance she is still talking.

*I love her version of some of our favorite songs:
"I will make you fishes again, fishes again, fishes again if you follow me!"
"Arctic Edge, where adventure meets curvage"
Her favorite one to sing while shaking her head with her mouth open wide as if she really is the QUEEN OF DRAMA is "Vanna in the Popera" - Translation - "Phantom of the Opera".

*I love how she acts 15 like her sister.

Teaching the teacher

Today was day 3 of VBS. I have managed to remember about half of the kids names, half being 12 since we increased to 24 6th graders. Maybe before they leave on the last day I will know them all by name as well as by ummm... attitude! Some of them I know because I know their parents but most of them I know from their temperaments. I have always heard that boys are easier to raise than girls but will never know first hand if that is right since I only have girls. I do know that the boys in our class, however rowdy, are easier to 'control' than the girls. Looking back on the day I realize how well mannered my teen is, and was at that age.

During snack each day the group leaders (Erin and I) go over a short lesson with the kids at each table. I first listened to Erin teach the lesson and then took the materials and headed to one of the boys tables. I had only begun talking when one of the boys in a casual yet courageous way takes over and taught the lesson better than I could! The other boys were chiming in with remarks too but most amazing was that they were not just words being repeated. These boys clearly understood the concepts. Several times I have noticed some of them blurt out verses and correct responses to questions even when they had been squirming ot talking when they shouldn't be. I was really impressed by them today. My lesson today was 'faith like a child'. I have new first hand understanding of this lesson that I thought I completely understood.


I really need some Godly advise but the bible doesn't have a clear example of parents regulating phone use for teen girls. Any thoughts?

Humbled

19 6th graders. I left VBS and arrived at my 'real' job exhausted, sweatty, and humbled. Today was my first time to attend VBS since I was about 10. That was just a few years (decades) ago. WOW. I am always amazed by our church members and today was no exception. Mostly I was amazed by the amount of time and energy that had gone into preparing. Everywhere was proof that many people had spent an unbelievable amout of time on every small detail. When I found out about the need for workers and was 'sold' on the importance of the VBS experience I thought I was really doing something when I committed. Wrong! I just showed up for a few hours and counted heads and said BOYS! I was humbled by all the workers, decorations and organization of the whole thing. My favorite part of doing any type of kingdom work is meeting people and finding out about the person that goes with the face I see every week.

My first Blog

I recently found out what blogging is. I stumbled on Rick's a few weeks ago when looking for something (important at the time) on my church web site. Now I can't stand it when Rick, Terri, Toni or Erin dont 'feed' me something new every day. I love reading everyone's adventures in mommiehood! It makes me feel more human and less of an idiot.