New Beginnings

I love raising my family in the Gospel.  I love the kind of young women they are becoming thanks to the values they have learned from birth.  I love that my oldest daughter wants to spend her Saturday night at a Stake Dance (dressed in a modest, clean outfit) instead of going to her middle school dance where everyone is wearing tiny, sleeveless dresses that make them look trashy.  I love that instead of dancing to songs with foul lyrics and content, she gets to swing dance and line dance.  I love that she is challenged to play the piano every Sunday (whether it goes well or not).  I love the wholesome, beautiful young lady she is becoming.   

As a member of the church, you quickly come to realize that meetings and hard work are all a part of it.  Everyone does their part to make their Ward and Stake run properly...and all of it is volunteer.  Last night we went to one of those meetings.  It is called "New Beginnings" and it is to introduce those girls that will be turning 12 this year to the Young Women's program. Having served in this program before, I KNOW how much work goes into pulling one of these meetings off.  The ladies in charge did a wonderful job!  

As you might guess, the theme was Dr. Seuss..."Oh the places you'll stand."  The theme this year for the youth is "Stand ye in Holy Places."  

The girls and their leaders were encouraged to wear their hair in a Dr. Seuss fashion.  Sister Bolander really got into it!  We kept calling Jillian the "girl on fire" because of her hair-do.

Charlotte has been working for weeks on the song she was assigned to play for tonight.  She was to accompany the whole group while they sang.  All of that practice paid off because she played it flawlessly.  Unfortunately, she is not in the picture...she is further off to the left.  

But here she is with her good buddy Rachel after the meeting.

Much to our disbelief, Maggie will be turning 12 this year.  She LOVED being invited to this meeting tonight.  I had to spotlight her in front of everyone.  I told everyone the origin of her name, her interests, her dislikes, and how much we love her.  These three are the new Beehives to come in in 2013.

Again, I love the church.  I love that my girls get to do this kind of stuff.  I love that I got to do this kind of stuff when I was their age.  

Here are my last 2 weeks of project 365