I am so excited about this weekend.  My daughter Riley and I are going to take a weekend trip.  She turned 12 last week (on Valentines day) and we are going to listen to Dr Dobson's series on Becoming an Adolescence.  We have been looking forward to this trip for a couple of years now.  I just pray that it will be a fun relaxing time for she and I.  I also pray that I can instill in her how special she is and how God made her just like she is for a reason.  She stuggles with insecuirity with her looks and her abilites.  She is a beautiful girl with a loving spirit and just a joy to be around.  But I see myself in her so much. 

 Insecurity is something that I have stuggled with all my life.  Even tonight my Dad asked me (kindof critical) why I picked the hotel I picked to stay in.  I felt like a little girl again.  I could never live up to what he expected of me.  I never remember either of my parents ever telling me that God made me for a reason and that I could do anything that I wanted to do.(I never heard them tell any of my bothers or sisters that either).  This  inbetween age is so hard on girls. They are no longer little girls but they are also not grown up yet.  I just pray that we will have a open relationship while we cross the chasm form Mother/Child to Mother/Friend in the years to come.

It will be an interesting weekend for my dh.  He has never been alone with the kids for a weekend.  My other daughter has already said that she just does not know how she will survive without me and her sister around.  My youngest son (Clay age7) came to me very serious yesterday and told me that I could not leave until the laundry was done because Dad does not know how to do laundry.   He is very particular about his clothes. 

I just want to tell all my new blogfriends that you are such a blessing to me.  I can't wait to get on the computer every day and find out what is going on in your lifes.

Happy Homeschooling.

Sarah