All By Myself

It's Friday night, and I am home alone. Not in a Macauly Caulkin kind of way. Tori is in LA at DCLA, a Christian youth conference, and Kat went to Bear Lake with a friend and her family for the weekend. So, here I am, alone in the house. A couple of years ago, I would have been freaking out. Tonight, I am revelling in the quiet. I didn't stay home though. I went on a "date" with Sammee. We went to Old Town Actor's Studio to see "Dr. Faustus." I love Shakespeare, but Christopher Marlow, well.....it was a well acted performed play.

Now it's Saturday. I had a wonderful non mom day. I had what I wanted for lunch, then got to have dinner with my friend Bobi. My non mom time ends tomorrow evening. I'm not sure what time Kat will be home, but she will be home tomorrow, and Tori and the crew will be home from LA on Monday morning. As much as I am enjoying my time without them, I do miss them. The house is unusually quiet right now. And I find myself talking to the dog, the guinea pigs, and even the TV.

Tori is having a blast at the conference. I haven't gotten a lot of information from her, but the bits and pieces i have received have included last night's main assembly called the Big Room. Tori was interviewed on Friday and was on the big screen. She won a water bottle answering trivia questions, and she got the drumstick of the worship band drummer. She even found an orange cover for her cell phone during the week (for those of you who know Tori, orange is very important, and a huge victory). I anticipate listening to her for an entire week, hearing tales of the conference.

And, her love for service has risen up again. When she gets home, we HAVE to put together popcorn boxes for the two families who housed them this week and for the bus driver who did such a good job this week. I forgot to mention that on Thursday, as the crew was leaving Orange County for LA, the brakes went out on the bus. The driver took out a vine, injured no one on the bus or on the street, and did not damage any other vehicles. Tori is a bit grateful. And, the bus driver is from Blackfoot, Idaho. I love my daughter's heart for others. So next week, we will get cards and popcorn to send to all of these people.

I feel honored to have the children God gave me. My kids have the largest hearts for others that I have met. And I am not just saying that because I'm Mom. I have seen Kat in tears because, regardless of her efforts, she is not influencing a friend the way she is trying to. I have seen Tori in tears because she can't help someone like she wants to. I have seen Sammee in tears because she can't please someone. I love their hearts.

I think I have babbled on enough about my amazing kids. Always remember as your kids grow up to look at the positive aspects of your children. Sometimes the positive overruns the negative.