The wallflowers

I looked at my blog today and thought, what the heck am I going to write???

My husband is so nice to me. He's running to get milk before work, so I don't have to take all three kids out. Yesterday the girls were monsters. When one wasn't picking on the other, Cassie was just sobbing, she just got a tooth popping through, and a second one is coming. Ouch! With extra cuddle time for Cass, and forcibly separating the two older ones, I just might have an ear left to hear from.

It was one of those days you thought, why did I sign up for this again?

So far today, they are being great. I would have to say there are more good days than bad. My heart just leaps with joy whenever Cassie laughs, and Dar, what a charmer. Laurel is making up sentences, they are starting to get really clear. She loves to make jokes.

Wow. I've got a great family.

I have a confession to make. When I was in high school, Noel was the youth pastor at our church. Whenever he had the chance, he bugged me about going to a youth group event. Come on Wednesday, he'd say, I'd think you'd like it, he'd say in Noeleze. You know I think he does have his own language. Anyways, I went one time to a volleyball game, nothing special, and hung out with my brother and all his friends. I was sorely misplaced. I was apart of something and yet, all alone. So I never went to another youth group event again. I figured I could get that lonely feeling anywhere. My heart just cries out when I see someone who is off to the side and not apart of the "group." I once met a girl in high school, who was just standing all by herself outside. Being seniors, we were using sidewalk chalk on the front walk to count down the days until freedom. I walked over to her and asked her to join us. She had a blast. She was a freshman I think, and didn't know where to get involved. I'm not sure if she realized there were people like us in the school, and she kept coming until I saw her walking with her own group of friends one day. It was really cool.

So I'm a big sucker for castoffs. Wallflowers. Latebloomers. People who just haven't made it in this world, I'm not sure if I made it yet. I'm the silly one that talks to outcasts and my husband is a definite outcast. He usually knows the right thing to do. He talks your ear off, and always has something to say about nothing. He has great knowledge of nothing. I think he might have a masters degree in it. My poor kids are going to be so embarrassed by my husband when they get older. He has a lot of qualities that I'd like them to learn from him.

I really encourage any leaders to take notice of those who aren't quite part of the pack. Usually they are your people who are trying desperately to make it, and have a lot going in their lives. And they just don't know what to do. The best part is seeing them grow and live through their lives, they are the strong people, who can cope through anything once they get that boost. Now here is my confession. Although I didn't go to another youth group event, just knowing that Noel kept on my back about getting involved, I realized there is something missing in my life. Friends, and real relationships. They are much more important than diamonds, funny enough I think that the bible says that. Up until that point in my life, the isolation was taking a toll. I had few friends left, and I was backing out of anything to do with people. Such a small impact weighed more in my life, and hit home.

Thank you Noel.