Abigail

Our red-headed, almost 15-year-old sporting her new ski jacket before leaving for camp.

Today, Abigail left for ski camp. It's her first solo Romanian event, and she left excited mixed with a big dose of anxiety.  She'll also turn 15 at camp, so that's a pretty big deal. We keep shaking our heads when we think that Abi could be driving if we were in Mississippi. It's probably a good thing we're not!  

I was thinking today about our kids and thanking God for each of them, praying for them, worrying a little and then trying to turn that worry into prayer.  One of the things that I'm so thankful for is their adaptability.  I dropped Abigail off today at the home of a girl whom she'd never met before. She rode with her and her dad and 3 other girls to a place she'd never been before, a ski resort about an hour away.  She'll spend the better part of a week with strangers, who we're praying will become friends, speaking a language that we're praying will come with greater ease. That's a pretty big deal. I'm not sure I'd have done that as a 15 year old. In fact, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't.  

The other day, my dad asked me how to respond to people in Kosciusko when they ask how I am. I said, after some thought, "Grateful."  Not always, but overarchingly. And I'm learning to sacrifice thank offerings (Ps. 50). I think our kids are learning this, too. It's not necessarily fun to not have a friend group with which to hang out. It can be lonely to be at a school made up of family members. It's really challenging to relate to people in another language, especially when you don't know them.  Katy observed when filling out college applications that living in Romania has left lots of holes: no clubs, awards, or teams to fill time and a resume.  But...  I think they'd each say their lives are full.  We give thanks for the friends God's given us. For our team. For our family. For Skype that lets us keep in touch with family. For the Romanians who love us, are patient with us and include us graciously in their world. For kids who are adaptable and adventurous. 

Speaking of adventurous, Abigail, you'll notice in the picture, has colored her hair red. Enough said.

So, if you read this sometime while Abigail's at camp, please pray for her.