I really like this version of “The Alphabet Song” and so did my 5 year old. Enjoy!

Since I’ve never seen the inside of a juvie, and hopefully neither will any of our kids, let’s take a look inside one that has been abandoned.

A conversation with some online friends tonight interested me greatly. We were joking about some of the hard conversations we’ve had to have in our lives, like the time I had to tell my grandmother what the word “pimp” means. Another person piped up and said they had to have a similar conversation with a 15 year old. Someone else thought that 15 was too young, but personally, I feel it is a bit too old.

I’ve been talking frankly with my kids about sex since they were very young, telling them things I thought they might need to know and answering their questions honestly, as I felt it was age appropriate. The way I look at it is that they will hear these things sooner rather than later, and I want them to have accurate information.

By age 15, you can rest assured that most, if not all, kids are talking about sex, and you need to make sure they have accurate information about preventing disease and unwanted pregnancy so you and your kids are not caught by surprise. This doesn’t mean you have to condone kids having sex, but arm them with accurate information. Plus, there’s no greater deterrent to kids having unprotected sex than a google image search on “genital herpes.” You’ll have to trust me on this one.

I have been a Girl Scout leader for the past five years and have been involved in scouting for about 14 years.  There have been definite ups and downs with silly scout politics within service units and at council-level. There have been definite ups and downs with the kids - from scouts who had terrible, destructive attitudes  to working with the truly needy girls.

But in the last 36 hours, it all came down to one hug today as my reason for being a Girl Scout leader.  And it wasn’t from either of my daughters.  One girl in my troop desperately needed to get involved with a group of girls who were role models.  We’ve worked with her on grooming, how to dress modestly, using indoor voice, sharing, treating other girls with respect … the whole gamut.  Honestly, all the girls in my troop of just-now-teenagers have needed guidance in all these areas, but this one really needed a little bit extra.

I received a call yesterday afternoon from her.  Crying, she told me her Mom was missing.  Her Mom is a home health care nurse and had gone to her first appointment.  She never made it to her next appointment.  Nor her next.  No phone calls.  No nothing.  The family contacted the police and as word got out, we started prayer chains.  The best case scenario that we could think of was maybe Mom just needed some space and time alone to think, you know?  Though it felt harsh to think that, it was the least disturbing of the terrible things that raced through our minds.

My girl went to the police station with her Dad and waited as he was questioned.  We texted back and forth and I let her know how much she was loved and if she needed me or my co-leader, we were there for her.  Even through this drama, we moved forward with the yard sale that had been planned for months.  The other moms in the troop hosted it today to raise money for a summer trip.   Our girl called and asked if she could come - she needed to get out of the madness at her house for awhile.  My troop co-leader picked her up and when she came, we all hugged her.  It didn’t take long for the girls to fall back into their usual discussions about boys.

After about an hour, she came up to me with her arms out.  I hugged her back and she held the hug for about two minutes.  It felt like 30 minutes as she laid her head on my shoulder and cried.  It was then that my full potential as a Girl Scout leader had been met.  One hug.  One hug that told a scared girl that no matter what, she was loved.  That no matter what, there would be someone there to embrace her and comfort her.  There was someone who truly cared about what would happen to her.  I don’t know if I’ll ever again get a hug like that from anyone - my own children, grandchildren someday?  But I was glad I had been in her life so at that moment when she needed it, I was there.

About three hours later, we finally heard the news that her Mom contacted the family.  SAFE.  I don’t know what happened.  I’m pretty sure I don’t WANT to know.  But I’ll never forget that one hug.

Although in a couple of weeks I’ll probably be complaining about “can’t get anything done, kids are fighting all day”, I always get excited when school is out. I start missing the kids when school’s been in session about a month and then when it’s been out a month, I want them to go back.

I suppose this would mean I would support year round school, but unless they ever brought it to the high school level- which in my area they would not due to sports schedules- I have to continue to oppose it. With three kids with three very different age ranges, and one kid who goes to his dad’s for some time in the summer, I think year round school would be disastrous for some people’s schedules. Mainly, mine. Ha.

Are you excited now that school’s out (or almost out)? Or do you dread the long summer days with kids complaining that they’re bored?

If Digg is to be believed, this is a picture of Hitler as a baby. That’s, Adolf Hilter. Funny that his hairstyle never changed, if it is indeed him. Digg wants to know if the baby is cute or evil. I’m really of the belief that there are no bad children/babies. It’s what happens to them as they grow and personality types that are already there, that causes a person to become an evil adult.

I dunno, I’m skeptical that it’s even him, but this picture does resemble him, ha. I love Photoshop.

Looking at the picture makes me a bit sad, though. Could all this have been prevented, or was it inevitable?

This is unbelievably hilarious.

A friend of mine was recently telling me about the anniversary gift her husband had given her. Was it a fabulous trip to somewhere romantic? Did it follow the traditional anniversary guidelines? Heck, no.

No, he got her a video game. That he’s been wanting for awhile. When she called him on it, his lame excuse was, “Well, I thought we could play it together.” Except the game is one player. My friend supposes that he expects to play while she watches. You know, good, quality time together. Heh.

Sounds like this guy should have taken my buddy Shane’s advice on buying your spouse an anniversary gift they’ll love.

Tell me, what’s the best anniversary gift you have received? What’s the worst?

I’m sorry it’s been such a long time since I’ve been on here, but life just kept running past me whenever I thought about writing.  But this has been such a momentous week in my home that I couldn’t pass up sharing on Love Shak, Baby.

Yesterday was 18-year old Annie’s last day in the classroom as a high school student.  She goes back today for play rehearsal (and then the play tomorrow), but no more pencils, no more books, no more teachers dirty looks.  Annie’s graduation is Saturday - she’s number 8 in a class of 400 - a pretty good showing, I’d say.

I’m excited for Annie, but she seems lost.  She’s not wanting to leave the nest.  Since I’m never one to pass up on an analogy, I compare her to the nest in the rose bush next to our porch.  We have baby cardinals.  I’ve gone out every morning to take photos - they’ve gone from bald to full fluffy feathers in just a week.  This morning when I went outside with my camera there was only one baby left.  I lifted my camera and accidentally brushed against the bush.  The bird flapped hard and flew away!

I think I’m going to have to push my baby bird out of her comfortable nest, too.  Why does it make me so sad?  And excited?

I can’t thank Sesame Street enough for this. My 8 year old LOVES High School Musical and I just want to barf every time it’s on. This parody is just beautiful.