friends....

Last year I started a new tradition with Lindsey and had a back-to-school party just before school started. I invited friends that were all in her grade so that they could find out who their teachers were, and for those who didn't know each other, they could meet and see a familiar face on the first day. It was a success. So this year I did the same thing... I had 11 seven year olds and two teenage helpers (worth every penny to hire them!). The theme was to "Find the Missing School Supplies," and I sent them on a scavenger hunt to find clues...I hid clues in balloons they had to pop, on clothes pins buried in the sand, in jello they had to dig through, in the mailbox, in magazines, on towels, all culminating in a puzzle they had to solve to actually find their goodie bag with some school supplies... I had fun putting it together, and the girls had fun doing it. They also painted wood blocks with their initials which was fun because they are so creative and girls love crafty things. Lindsey has made some fabulous friends since starting school here two years ago. I moved around so much in elementary school that I don't have friends that I have known since kindergarten...Lindsey now has friends she has known since she was a baby. These are girls to treasure...they come from good families...and are each so unique. She has friends that are similar to her, and friends that complement her. My prayer for her is that these friendships will continue, especially since she doesn't have a sister....and that they will deepen over time....The above picture includes all of her pals, Kyle, and the two teenage girls that coincidentally have been best friends since kindergarten....one of them is the big sister of one of Lindsey's best friends...pretty neat huh....