My Dear Girls

I have some really special people in my life whom I am blessed to call my girls. They hold a special place in my heart and they also consume a bit of my schedule. That's how it is when you love people, you work for them, and then your love grows for them. And grows, and grows, and grows.

When Braxton was about a year old Jeff and I decided we were ready for baby #2. However, Baby #2 was not ready for us, and for reasons unknown to me at the time we were not able to conceive when we planned.
At that same time I was called, (in our church we are extended "callings" which are areas where we are asked to serve to help the church run properly) as a counselor to work with the Young Women. This meant that I would work with the girls ages 12-18 on Wednesday night doing some sort of activity to help them come unto Christ, and then I would also teach/lead them on Sunday. I was so ecstatic about this opportunity.
And so I did. I devoted every single Wednesday night to being with them and every Sunday for part of church. It was wonderful and I grew to love all the girls with whom I worked. We were able to learn together and they were able to really help me as I focused on them and the purpose for me working with them. I got to know them on such a personal level and felt their love reciprocate back to me as well.

In the meantime I had two more children. My schedule got a little more hectic but I continued to serve the Young Women. They were a great support to me and on more than one occasion I longed for Wednesday night to get out of the house and be with my dear girls. They are young and fun and so full of life and they are wise. They are living in hard times and I drew on their strength and courage.

Shortly after I had Emmett the Bishop in our church released me (which means they tell you thank you for your service and allow someone else the opportunity) from counselor and called me to be President of the same girls. I accepted with something to the extent of, "of course I will, those are my girls."
Since that time my life has gotten a little more chaotic. There are meetings on Sunday mornings before church, and sometimes after. There are meetings during the week and phone calls, calendaring, planning, emailing...

My family has sacrificed. My kids know Wednesday nights mom is gone and they know Sunday mornings dad will get them ready for church. My husband knows that I have lots of thoughts/feelings/promptings going through my head and is so supportive and loyal to me and my need to sometimes just "sit in silence."

Some might think this is a lot. I'm not going to argue that. But...the blessings that I have received from working with my dear girls is ten fold to the sacrifices I have made.

A couple weeks back we did an activity on Wednesday night that left us all in tears. We sat in a circle and everyone took a turn complementing everyone else. We told each other what we loved and admired about each other. We told each other of the strengths we recognized in them and the influence they had had on our lives. We looked each other in the eye and said, "thank you," and "I love you," and "that one time when you....." It was an amazing experience and I felt so connected to each of them in such a real way.

It's easy to get overwhelmed or sometimes to think, "will this even help them," "do they even care," "Am I doing the right thing?"

YES! YES! YES!

And so to my dear girls. You were mine before I was blessed with my own daughter(s?). I have loved you, prayed for you, labored for you and you are all wonderful and I would have each of you as my own. We get each other for this season and I am so grateful. You will always hold a very special place in my heart.