Daddy’s Girl

I’m going to tell you guys a secret.

One reason I love going to weddings is because I know I am going to get to dance with my dad.

and all little girls like to dance with their daddies, even 24 year olds.

If any of you at all know my father, you know he is quite the character. You never really know what he is going to say, and you never really can believe he said it when he did!!

What you may not know about my dad, however, is that he is one of the most faithful men on earth. He is faithful to my mom. He is faithful to his family. He is faithful to his friends. He is faithful to his work.

If I have learned one thing from my dad, it is how a man should love a woman. He cherishes my mom. He adores her. He wants to go grocery shopping just so he can be with her. He loves her as if they just started dating. He still has that excitement for their relationship and wants my mom to feel cared for. I think this is rare in relationships these days, especially for people their age, and I am so happy that I got to grow up under that example. I know how I should be loved and didn’t settle because of my father’s example.

 

One of my favorite parts of being home with everyone is getting to see how Honey Cate and Kessler just LOVE pops. They say his name and just start laughing. They love him because he loves them so well. He plays all sorts of games with them and tickles them and head bangs with them until they are shaking with laughter. I don’t know how a 60 year old man has that kind of energy, but it is to fun to watch! I think his love for his grandkids is just a small example of the man he is.

 

I realized over the past year that I take my dad SO for granted. Not only was I surrounded by residents who had never met their fathers, seen their fathers, talked to their fathers, or who even knew who their fathers were, I also had 2 co-workers who lost their fathers at young ages. I am so blessed to know my dad, talk to my dad, be loved by my dad, and have my dad around, in my life, part of my life, sharing my life, wanting to be in my life

I heard this cheesy saying once, but I like it…

“Everyone has a father, but not everyone has a daddy.”

I have a daddy…a great daddy…for whom I am very thankful.

I love you daddy. Happy father’s day.

It’s a rap

So…I left the Dale House…after a week of crying.

It was really tough for me to leave. It is still hard for me to realize that I am not going back there. This is not just a vacation. I already miss the community so much. I lie awake at night thinking about it. I am constantly subtracting 2 hours now to see what they are doing at the DHP instead of adding 2 hours to see what the East Coast is doing. It’s a weird switch.

One great thing about leaving the DHP is that they are SO good at goodbyes! They want to make sure each person feels appreciated, valued, and like they are leaving well. I really am thankful for that because it gave me sufficient time to say goodbye to people I love so much.

My goodbye process started about 2 weeks before I actually left  

Here’s the way it started…

The last weekend my team was off, we took a weekend get-a-way to a beautiful cabin in Breckenridge. We just wanted some time to be together and away from everything else. It was so much fun just sitting around, eating, playing the same “guess who is written on the piece of paper stuck to your head” game, relaxing, and really just doing nothing together. I feel so blessed to have gotten to work with these people. It’s just such a gift. I was really happy that Allan got to be there as well because I wanted him to get to know people I love so much and I wanted to people I love so much to get to know the man I love so much.

Sunday morning was an extra-special time together. We each went around and shared about “our next step” and then each of us prayed for one another. Man, did the tears flow then! It was incredible the spirit of love that was in the room.

(side note: while we were in Breck, we found out the DHP office, mainly our secretary and George, had been robbed at gun point. The DHP has been robbed before but never an armed robbery. They took about $7,000 and the guy was caught later on that day. The guy was an accomplice to an old resident who knew George kept money in the office. Very sad, but we were thankful everyone was okay.)

After that incredible weekend, Stephanie and I spoke at my last Sunday night family night. Of course, I cried, but it was just a really special time to be with the kids and get to tell them something that I believe with all my heart: that they are valuable, worth it, and loved. I just so badly wish I could make all of them believe it!!

After Steph and I spoke, something crazy happened: a resident named D raised his hand from the back and asked if he could say something. This never happens. It’s normally we pray, then the kids disperse immediately. But not tonight. He came to the front behind us and proceeded to thank all the staff for what they do. He was grateful that we stick with them through the thick and the thin. He as thankful for the times we make him mad because we are just trying to make his life better.

I was blown away. What a gift from Jesus that was. If nothing else great would have happened all year, that one little speech from D would have made everything, every fight, every annoyance, every frustration, worth it.

Wednesday night family night was set aside for the kids to get to say goodbye to us. I think this is HUGELY important for these kids because goodbyes are things they are used to, but things they hate. They are used to people walking out of their lives for no reason or explanation. I’m really grateful the DHP recognizes this and wants to help make a smooth transition and also teach the kids how to say goodbye well.

All of the “leaving” training staff set up front while the kids went around and shared memories of each of us. It was so sweet to hear the kids talk and hear what they remembered about the year. One girl, B, who seemingly hated the DHP the entire time she was here, cried her eyes out as she talked about how Stephanie had cared for unlike anyone in her life. It was awesome.

After the “talking” part, we had a small celebration with sparkling cider and cookies! I also used the time for some last minute photos! Here are all the female staff with Kevin and George, our fearless leaders!

Thursday morning was the goodbye time with all of the staff! Another time to cry! YAY!  

We all showed up sporting our George t-shirts as a surprise! It was great!

This was also a really special time together. Memories were shared, I cried, and then they prayed for each of us. We also each got the coveted Dale House Project coffee mug and bookmark!! I was so excited : )

 

Whew…that’s a lot of goodbyes! and that wasn’t even all for me! I worked the last weekend and had to say final goodbyes to all the kids and Kallie, Mike, Annie, Andy, and Travy as they all left for camp on Sunday. That’s when reality really hit.

I spent the next two days packing up my room before Allan and I headed out on Tuesday.

Lots more tears were shed that day as I said final goodbyes to the people who were still around and drove away from that place I grew to love so much.

I can’t describe it exactly, but, man, it’s going to be an adjustment.

so that’s the end of my journey in CO.

but it’s the beginning of my journey in SC. It’s the beginning of taking what I learned from the DHP and living it out. It’s the beginning of answering the call in a different location with different people.

I’m excited and nervous all in one.

The Last Month: 10 month update!

 

I think I have been avoiding the reality that I am leaving this place that has become so dear to me.

I have 2 weeks left. That means I actually have only 7 days on duty.

Thursday, as I sat in George’s office before we discussed what I was going to talk about at family night, I just began crying.

No real reason. He just asked me what I thought about my time here and if I thought it had been a good year.

Tears of joy and sadness were all that I could answer.

Let me tell you a few reasons why.

1. This place is a glimpse of heaven: I am truly convinced of this. It radiates Jesus. It radiates Jesus message of love for all creation. It radiates acceptance, honesty, vulnerability, healing, growth, goodness. It is such a gift to be a part of this. I’ve never experienced something so close to heaven. It is my prayer to carry this “heaven” with me. It’s not just a place, which is awesome, because I can take it wit me.

2. The community: I have talked about this so many times, but I don’t think I have even been more content with myself and the people I am surrounded by. This is the first time in my life I have not felt pulled by spreading myself too thin. I have made great, loving, honest, caring friends. Who knew you could hang out with the same 5 people all year and be so joyful? I will miss the laughs, the games, the $2 Tuesdays, being faced, the outfits, the trips to chic-fil-a, being on duty, the inside jokes, the serious conversations, the conversations about Jesus and how to love well.

3. The Leadership: Man. I wish I could learn from George and Kevin for the rest of my life. Their knowledge, insight, wisdom, harsh love, gentle love, and faith is something for which I strive. They are amazing examples of Jesus. I love that they don’t claim to know all the answers, yet provoke such thought in me of all things: from how to deal with a kid to my faith.

4.The kids: This might seem like an obvious reason to miss this place, but work here for a little while, and one might change their mind. I have wrestled with this one too…will I really miss the kids and all the absurdities that come along with them? Oh yea.  Life will seem so simple without the daily craziness. I will miss their smiles, I will miss the conversations we have after arguments, I will miss seeing them sing at family nights, I will miss seeing kids emancipate and be so proud of themselves, I will miss celebrating kid’s birthdays for maybe the first time in their life, I will miss seeing them play games and get to be kids, I will miss bedtime in girls and telling them that I love them, I will miss family dinners with 17 people around the dinner table, I will miss those small glimpses of hope that I see in each of them.

5. The beautiful view: I just love seeing those mountains! They are incredible.

It is going to be super hard to leave this place, my friends, the kids, etc. I am so thankful for the time I had here to learn about Jesus, myself, loving others well, challenging others, being open with people, and so so much more.

Thank you guys so much for your support of me over the past year! Please don’t stop once I leave here! Please continue to pray that I can carry this “heaven” with me and remember all I have learned here. Please pray that I can love others well in SC, that I can find a group of friends similar to here, and that I can continue to be pushed towards Christ and not get comfortable in my pursuit of Him.

 

 

One thing that makes this easier is that I get to see this man in 2 days! no more video chatting! Praise the Lord!

Mother’s Daughter

Working at the DHP has taught me a lot, one of the most important being how important family is and the huge impact and influence it has on a person.

I can honestly say that is the truth. Almost daily I catch myself doing something just like my mama.

I use coupons now (when she sends them to me, of course)

I can’t sleep unless all the girls are home and asleep in girl’s residence.

I read people’s blogs that I barely know.

I take naps on the couch after work.

I talk on the phone in the bathroom (maybe she just does this with me? Sorry for sharing the secret…)

My car is messy.

I like to tell people what the food is that they are looking at before we eat it.

etc.

etc.

etc.

Not only did I learn these things mentioned above from my mom…she also taught me about Jesus, and others, and how those two go together.

She’s the reason I love hurting kids. She’s the reason I want pregnant teen mom’s to have diapers, and formula, and support. She’s the reason I am saddened when children are not taken care of. She’s the reason I like the “inner-city.” She’s the reason I want people to know the hope of Jesus.

because that is how she raised me. She put me first so that I would know to put others first. She took us to her work so we could see the hurting people she was helping. She entertained and cooked for all of my friends and made them feel welcome so I could learn hospitality. She gave me a safe place to live so I could feel secure. She washed all my clothes so I could feel clean and cared for. She fixed all my lunches in school so I could be nourished. She waited up for me to come home so I could know I was important to her and it mattered where I was. She took me shopping so I could feel pretty. She came to events as my school so I could feel supported. She prayed with me so I could learn to pray. She took my to church so I could learn about Jesus. She modeled Christ to me in the home so I could learn how to model Christ to others.

I am thankful for my mom today and the woman she is and the way she constantly pours herself out for her kids.

It amazes me when the residents never hear from their mom. I have met around 6-7 of the 40+ residents that have lived at the DHP since I started working her. 6 or 7 out of 40? And of those 6-7, I have only seen them 1 or 2 times at the house. They just don’t care, and it breaks my heart. No wonder these kids live at the DHP. I cannot imagine what it is like to be one of the residents. I know if I have a bad day or need to cry, talk, complain, vent, anything…I can call my mom and she is guaranteed to answer, with a smile, ready to talk regardless of what she has going on. I have seen kids call and call and call their moms with no answer.

I wish they all could have my mom.

I could write so much more about my mom and the way she loves the kids at the DHP because I love them, the way she continues to support me and help me financially, the way she loves her grandkids so much, the way she gets excited every year for our beach trip because we will all be together, the way she cooks and cook and cooks for Christmas so we can relax and feel cared for, the way she still tells me every time we talk that she is praying for me, the way she….

Thanks for loving me so well Mama! I love you!

Hoppy Easter!

Easter is a special time here at the DHP as well as for believers everywhere.

It’s the day we celebrate the resurrection of our Savior.

It was a really cool experience to get to celebrate Easter with the residents. It was hard to be away from my family and Allan, but I am so thankful that I got to spend it with my DHP family. They are just such special people and have such a  special place in my heart.

Isn’t Bella just adorable?

Before Easter dinner, we had an Easter service where we sang some songs and then Kevin, Bella, and Grace (Kevin’s daughter) shared the story of Jesus’s death and resurrection with us. It was just precious to see little Bella hold up the different props as Grace told about Jesus dying and raising again for our sins! They told the story just the way I was taught as a little girl..with the props inside the eggs inside the egg carton. I loved it!

After the service, we had a good ole fashion Easter egg hunt!!

It was so hilarious to see these 17, 18, 19 year old “hard core” kids running around the yard looking for brightly colored eggs!

I’m grateful for the sacrifice the Jesus made for us. I am grateful for the chance I have to share that with these kids. I am thankful that Easter is more than just bunnies, eggs, and candy. I am thankful that I was justified by his blood.

The Monday after Easter, my friend Lauren shared a devotion out of Romans 5, talking about the freedom we have because of Jesus. I think you should go read it right now. It’s a great reminder.

I hope everyone had a great Easter and really was able to think back on what Easter really means! May we live in that daily!

Joyfully Joutfitted

I just cannot say it enough…I love the people I work with! They are so much fun!

Last Friday we decided to take a trip to Cripple Creek, an old mining town that is now known for its gambling and casinos! I have never gambled before and thought it would be a fun thing to do with my friends before leaving CO!

Of course though, everything is more fun with costumes!!

So before we left, we all headed to the local Arc (similar to Goodwill) and look for the best JOUTFITS we could find. In case you don’t know what a joutfit is…it is an outfit made completely of jean material.

Man, did we find some good stuff. I really cannot believe that these clothes were actually made, actually worn by people before!

We’re a good looking family huh?

Just look at those jumpers, that jouncho (jean pouncho), my dress? Seriously? We look good.

Before heading up to Cripple Creek, we stopped by (of course) Chick-fil-a for dinner. People couldn’t stop starring. It was hilarious!

We finally made it to Cripple Creek’s casinos!! We fit right in there (not!). It was not at all what I expected! It was a lot of fun though! I can see how gambling gets addicting! I played a few slot machines and watched Nik play a table game. I ended up only losing about $12. I thought that was pretty good for a night of super fun!

As we were getting into my car, which I happened to park in front of a local bar, we heard what sounded like karaoke. Well, we were right! and we had no choice except to go inside and participate! There would be no better way to end the evening!

There were approximately 30 people in the bar, mostly locals, a baby, a few guys dressed in pastel polos, and Jesse’s twin.  We were the only ones in joutfits, duh. and everyone stared.

We chose to sing “Sweet Home Colorado.”

I’ll let you enjoy the performance for yourself.

Eggs-tra special eggs

For the family night before Easter, we took the chance to decorate eggs!

 

I kinda thought the kids would hate doing this and complain the whole time, but that wasn’t the case at all. They actually really got into the competition of making your egg look like a staff member. It was really funny to see the results.

I personally think that I should have won, but they said a kid had to win. Oh well!

It was really fun to get to watch the kids be just that, kids. I really loved sitting with them as they played with the different colors, put stickers on their eggs, and laugh.

It’s moments like those that I will carry with me as I leave the DHP. Moments of sweet tenderness of sharing life with these kids.

Foot Hockey

Oh “staff days,” how I will miss thee.

I just love being with my co-workers and doing extreme things.

Even if something isn’t extreme…you can bet that the DHP staff will somehow make it extreme.

For example, a simple game of foot hockey can lead to multiple injuries.

but man, do we have some fun. It always gets competitive and is a matter of life or death. I am happy to announce that I had a couple assists and my team won 2 or the 4 games haha.