Teen Angel signed up to go several months ago and then started to weasel out on me a couple of weeks before time to leave. I think it had something to do with spending a week away from a certain boy and from her beloved job at the bakery. I big footed her into going under Parental Clauses # 6-Because it's good for you and #1-Because I said so. A few days before she left, she broke up with the boyfriend, and suddenly Georgia seemed like a much more appealing place to her. She stopped whining about it and got her bags packed. We loaded her up on a bus yesterday morning and by nightfall she and the youth group had made their way to the Georgia coast passing by many a boiled peanut/velvet painting/Dixie memorabilia stand. One of which prompted a text exchange between me and her where I jokingly told her to pick me up a Nascar toilet seat and she informed me they were out of those but that they had some with a rebel flag on them. And she was telling the truth. Oy vey! I can't even begin to describe how many ways THAT item is offensive.
It was just one of many chatty, witty texts we've exchanged in the past couple of days. That girl is quite sarcastic when she wants to be, a trait she obviously gets from her dad. Goodness knows she doesn't get it from me. Ahem.
For example: She informed me their bunkhouse looked like the 70's threw up. I told her it was a camp not the Hilton and that I didn't want to hear any complaints as she could smell the ocean and I couldn't. She replied that all she could smell was the neighbors' laundry drying on the clothesline. See what I mean? Sarcastic.
In the midst of all the jokes and teasing she shared details of their day today. They cleaned the yard of a woman who is wheelchair bound with Multiple Sclerosis, and TA talked about how fun the lady was. They met a man who used to be a drug lord in Miami. He served thirteen years in prison, got out and turned his life around. And then they helped to gather up excess produce at stores and restaurants and bagged it up and delivered it to residents of some very poor neighborhoods. The pictures of her and BFF are from TA's phone and BFF's mom. Who's that behind those Foster Grants?
They had a great time, and the youth minister says he didn't hear one complaint from a single teen today despite the heat and the hard work. I can tell TA's been touched by what she's seen so far, and they still have the rest of the week ahead of them. I'm glad. THAT falls under Parental Clause #12-One day she'll thank me for this.
4 comments:
OMG..TA is only 7 miles from where we have our villa in Brunswick Ga. I know right where Epworth is and let me tell you..its a beautiful setting right on the intercoastal waterway! Everytime we go over the causeway to St Simons, you can see this place. I think all young people should be involved in community work. Its good for them to think about someone else besides themselves for a change. Hopefully they will gain a sense of real appreciation for what they have. Kudos to TA!!!
Good for TA and good for you for being the supportive parent you are! I'm sure she will come away from this experience and feel very good about it. I would love for my girls to one day go on a mission trip. And I wouldn't mind going too!
As of now, they are at church camp 100 miles from home. Yahoo!
Wait just a dadgum minute Hula. You mean to tell me that you actually received a manual when TA was born? Now that is just unfair!
What a good kid you have there. I hope she enjoys her time away though I can imagine it's hot as anything.
Why won't my TA break up with her boyfriend? Dang it!
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