Two Young Friends

I had a musing last night. I have two young friends. (Sorry old friends. If you are wondering which one you are, you are the old friend.) I love these girls.

Both of them just left the security of upper middle class, safe neighborhoods for Mexico and China. Both left to teach English. Both of them went without close friends going with them. Both of them earned money to go. One of them risks all that comes with living in a poor area--bad food and germs, a violent country. The other has to accept no Facebook or Youtube due to communist restrictions.

How impressive. Both of these friends have nice rooms at home. Both have a car to drive. Both have boys knocking at their doors and friends to play with every day. Both have families who love them and are good to be around. One has a mom who cooks great food and another has a dad who takes her boating weekly. Both have the gift of being able to go to college and have experienced living on their own.

What a great time of life. I want my kids to experience what they are experiencing. (Heck, I want to experience what they are experiencing, although I would choose Denmark and Italy over Mexico and China.) I want my kids to be as strong, fun, and happy as they both are. I am impressed that they are mixing hard work with service and adventure. Their parents are not handing them these experiences. One moved home and nannied full time so she could save all of her money to go to Mexico. The other has worked sometimes 90-hour weeks this summer away from home and school to earn the money to go to China. These friends will be young wives and then mothers before they know it. These experiences and learned work ethic will benefit their families and create memories they will always be grateful for.

This makes me muse about my life. I still want to attack life like they are. I still have dreams, some realized, some not. I want to look forward to those not realized yet. I want to have hope that I can still affect my future. I want to make plans. I want to do hard things like they did, but in my own sphere to create the greatest possible happiness. In my life, I know having a baby was one of those decisions. I get a peaceful assurance that the Lord just gave me a big huge gift that I don't even understand. She will be a great companion for Brett and for me as the other kids get older.

What a gift life is. We can do with it whatever we want. Really, we can. We can spend our time on any number of things that make us happy. How cool is that?

Oh, baby is waking up. Just in time to take Syd to elementary and take pictures of her with her cute braids she insisted on me doing this morning. She's getting so big. 3rd grade. She's grown and matured like crazy in, oh, the last 5 weeks. I wonder why?....

Random Musing Detour: Crepes are really good. Crepes are easy to make. Kids like crepes. I like crepes. I want some nutella spread for the next batch. When those two young friends come home, I want to have them come over so I can make them some. erin