Sending Off Our Teens

Anna holding Anna Mei's hand in China just after Gotcha Day.

 One of our dearest teens is headed off to work in the Chicago public schools for the next five weeks as part of a scholarship program that she is participating in .  This is her first time away from home for so long as she just graduated, but she will be headed off to Greenville College in the fall.  We are so excited to see how God will use this young lady because she has an amazing faith though we will miss her dearly.  She traveled to China with me to get my sweet Anna Mei so she is very special to my girls and to me.  She babysits Jillian on a regular basis, has fallen in love with adoption and caring for the orphan, led the Bible Study at the high school this year, was awarded an amazing teaching scholarship, is going to be a special ed teacher..I could go on and on about her.  She is even a big part of the reason that Daddy chose Anna Mei's name because her name is also Anna. We love her to bits...

So we wanted to send a piece of us with her as she goes out to change the world for Him!

This was Anna Mei's first time painting and she was happy to be doing it.

 Jillian went first as I knew it would stress her out greatly to participate because of her tactile sensitivities.  Anna watched while Jillian dutifully obeyed momma and uncomfortably left her two hand prints on our project.  Then it was her turn to leave her own and she did so many times.  She really enjoyed it.

 It turned out great and I hope Anna feels the prayers these little folded hands will be sending up for her over the next five weeks.  We will truly miss her so very much!

 While Jillian wasn't so happy about the painting part of this project, the clean up made her one happy girl.  She was thrilled that the water in her water table and the bubbles from the soap were tinted a deep red color because of the paint.  She was very excited to be splashing her sister and loved watching the colored water fall over her.

 We played in the colored water the rest of the morning together.  I even brought out some ice cubes which were fun to add to the red water.  She really enjoyed herself.

 Mei Mei was pretty happy too though the mess on her hands does bother her a bit after a while.  She is beginning to relax some where that is concerned, but will still often say "towel" many times during our play when she gets a bit wet or messy as she feels the need to wipe off.

I am thankful we were able to enjoy making this special project and that my newest little peanut likes painting.  We have many more teens leaving over the next few weeks.  Truthfully, this is the most difficult part of youth ministry..saying goodbye to teens you have grown to love so much, but we trust each is in God's will and He will challenge and protect them as they go out on their own.