"...the most awesome and weirdest thing..."

Last Wednesday night, Daniel got off earlier than usual(you know, he only worked 12 hours instead of 14-15), so the three youngest stayed home with him while I took Dakota to youth group at church. Adult services are canceled this month so they can work on remodeling another building that the church has purchased for a second campus, (It's going to be awesome!) so I had the very rare opportunity to spend nearly two whole hours by myself (I couldn't believe it either). I loaded up a bunch of our school stuff that I needed to work on,dropped Dakota off at church, and grabbed a back table at Arby's (not the best place to work on school stuff, but the library closes early around here). It was so nice to be able to work on planning without being interrupted or feeling guilty that the kids were sitting in front of the TV (I'm sure that's what they were doing, but I wasn't there to see so I didn't have to feel guilty).

When I picked Dakota up, the first thing she said to me was. "I just did the most awesome and weirdest thing I've ever done!"

At the beginning of youth group each week, they have an ice breaker before service starts. She's told me about a couple of them-Rock, Paper, Scissors championship and a game they call Ninja. Sometimes they do something a little messier. Last week was one of those times. Of course, Dakota got picked to play (remind me to tell you about the time she played the Spaghetti O's game) . Her job was to sit still and "try not to get anything in your eyes" (the youth pastor's words) while her blindfolded partner sprayed frosting on her face and then stuck animal crackers on it. Apparently she's pretty good at her job because they won by getting the most animal crackers to stick. Ha!

Dakota was so pumped when I picked her up! She talked non-stop at 100mph all the way home. We stopped on the way at the gas station (my favorite-the one where they have diet pepsi in the fountain) for a drink. When Dakota saw our favorite gas station lady (seriously, my kids LOVE this lady) I thought Dakota was going to break right through the van door to get out. She said "I've got to tell B. about Realife tonight and invite her to come to church with us!"

They stood and talked while I got my drink. It was so much fun to hear Dakota talking so passionately about our church (the word awesome was used several times) and to hear her inviting someone to come with her, especially an ADULT! Unfortunately, B. has to work on Sundays and couldn't come with us, but I'm sure that Dakota's enthusiasm is something that she will never forget.

I'm so proud of Dakota! She is amazing! I love that she really doesn't care what people are saying or doing. She does her own thing. I love sitting next to her in church and watching how passionately she worships without worrying about what anyone thinks. She inspires me to be more like that.

I can't wait to see where her life takes her. I know it will be somewhere amazing!