My Other Girls.

It may just be me, but when I drive by wrought iron fenced property while driving to and from youth conference, and notice there are giant walrus and rhinos....

it becomes a necessity to stop and see what it's all about, and what kind of mischief I can create with them and my camera.

It's something you never grow out of I guess... I'm seriously wishing I had the picture of my high school friends when we wore pioneer bonnets to play pinball at the local movie theater... I'm going to have to dig that out now and add it.

This is also what happens when you have a few kindred spirit young women in you car when you decide that stop is necessary.

We pulled in and discovered it was an art museum, and we took a minute to appreciate the art, without setting a single foot inside the building.

 

As Mik would say, it just isn't youth conference until you get kicked in the butt by a rhino.

As I would say, "tough love, Mik."

You know when you're in a church meeting and a leader gets up and says something to the affect that they love everyone.  And you think, um hum, with a roll of your eyes.

Well I'm not going to say I love everyone.

But I am going to say that I love these girls.  The time spent with them has been a blast.  I've loved watching them figure out what to do with their lives, and listening to their high school stories.

I love that I got to hang out with Ballison, who's name is not Ballison, just one more time before she jets off to be a missionary in Texas.

And to listen to Gail's enthusiasm of life before she heads off to dance at college.

And to grow a little bit closer to Mik who is going to rock her senior year of high school.  I still get one more year with her and I'm thankful for that.

I wish I could have had them all there with me on those statues, laughing our heads off. Sariah, Whitney, Malone, Cassie, Toree, Mia, and Izzy who isn't mine yet, but will be soon.  And Bryanna who already grew up on me.

They make me feel shiny and happy.

I wish I could tell them how much they better my life, but I don't think I'll ever be able to express it well enough.  So for now I'll just continue to listen to their stories about school, and watch them in their talents and as they make grown up choices with their lives as they graduate.

I'll keep learning the gospel with them and cheering them on in life.

Always I'll be cheering them on in life.

And yes, I love each one of them.

Interrupted By The Dance Party In Front Of My House

Sometimes when you're cleaning up the kitchen after dinner, and doing a few dishes, you notice things out of the corner of your eye.

Sometimes you turn your head to see what it was and you find that Mik is in front of your house.

Further concentration on the matter brings you to the realization that Mik isn't just in front of your house, but she's in front of your house... dancing.

So you grab your camera, because really, what alternative do you have?



We already had a group of kids at our house, and what I should have done was taken pictures/videos of the group watching them.  Slap happy grins and giggles.  The atmosphere had become electric.

It was awesome.

Oh, and sometimes when your doing dishes gets interrupted by a dance party in front of your house, you also find that you have a boy with a box on his head hanging out in your yard.

Whatever you expect to happen on a school night after dinner...
none of these things were it.

Mik rocks my world. 

Also "coca-cola" Max has some serious moves, and blue shirt Max had my favorite poses.

And the kid in the brown shirt?  Best smile ever.

I don't even know who he is.

So in my mind I see a need for a dance retaliation. 

The Circus and I (because, you know, it's a challenge in my mind and I just can't walk away from that) have a dance to learn.

Watch out Mik, Max x 2, and kid I don't know.

We're coming.

Also, I think I need to talk these guys into dressing up like zombies and doing the Thriller dance with me on a video.

Yeah, Mik?  Whaddaya say?

mik

Sometimes, when you know someone like Mik, you have to do a blog post about her.

It also helps if she tells you too, daily, on facebook.

But that's okay, because we've already established what a forgetter I am (here).

I'm going to tell you the things that I have learned from Mik.  And it's a lot.

Like when you hear this song in a parking lot in the morning hours while you're visiting a different state,


you must dance with out any reservations.  Wildly.  Energetically.  Entertainingly.

You must.

I've also learned from Mik to be strong in life.

I've learned from Mik that the simple things can bring the greatest pleasure.

I've learned from Mik that laughter really is the best medicine.

I've learned from Mik that being with good people in life is all that matters.

Especially if you can cheat at cards by looking at their glasses...

I sincerely hope you all get the chance to have a Mik in your life.  It's a pretty great thing indeed.