D-Now "Set Apart"

D-Now. . . I remember these days in my youth group. My youth group held some of my very favorite memories as a teenager. Since I've been working with the youth, when this weekend came up, I figured since the Lord blessed us with plenty of room, we should be a host home for the weekend. These girls blessed our hearts and our homes so.very.much. My girls, of course, had a BLAST! The older girls were so very sweet to them.

Love this crazy thing!

She was so very sweet. Crista had to be up at 5:00 a.m. to leave and go take the SAT, so Jessica got up with her and helped me cook her a good, hearty breakfast. Afterwards, Jessica and I sat down and had a sweet talk about her mother (she just died from breast cancer). It was a sweet talk and sweet tears. . . . one that will be etched in my memory.

Jessica and Hanna were cuddle bugs on the couch. They cuddled up and watched Andy Griffith until everyone else in the house woke up.

Not only is she sweet, but she's also a little sassy . . .

This sweet girl just fit right in. She isn't apart of our youth group, but you'd never know by the way she just eased right into the group. Her spirit is precious.

Now, this girl is no stranger to our family. She's actually one of my girls. My girls A-D-O-R-E her!!!!!!!

Each group had service projects. Our project was to fix and serve lunch to those working at different houses. Here's the guys that were helping us. . .

I really enjoyed getting to know Irish. I have Ingrid in my Sunday School class. When this first came around I told Todd I wanted my 9th and 10th graders. However, he put the 7th-8th and 11th-12th girls at my house. I'm really glad he did what he did. It allowed me to form and build some new relationships.

Ash was so sweet. The morning we were leaving to serve, I told her I didn't think we had enough room in the van. She didn't pitch a fit. Her little eyes just welled up with tears, tears that she was fighting back to hold in. Broke.my.heart. We MADE room!!!!!!! I just couldn't leave my heart back home :)

Ingrid DID NOT want me taking her picture!!!!!!!!

Love that Emily. She's my soccer girl and has such a sweet and fun spirit. She was so sweet Sunday morning on the way to church. . . "Ms. Michele, in case I forget to tell you, thank you so much."

Jaimie and Jessica

Here are my other 2 girls. Just love them to pieces!!!!!!!!!

Hannah and Katherine

Sweet Caitlyn

This girl in the middle. . . she taught me something this weekend . . . she looked at Ash and said, "She has grocery store feet." W-H-A-T????? Apparently it is really dirty feet. I think I'm going to start saying it all the time now :)

Back home, I camped out on the couch while the girls played Kinect. I enjoyed laughing at them. Y'all I was so sleepy!!!!!!!!!!

The soccer girls

Crazy Crista! Just love this girl. So glad I got to know her this weekend. CRACKS ME UP!!!!

Sweet Somara. . . she'd hardly talk at all. . . From what I heard she's a hoot, but she would hardly talk to me . . . she'd only smile one of the prettiest smiles I've ever seen.

Sunday morning getting ready to leave and take the girls back to church. My body is tired. My heart is full. My spirit is joyful.

Taking these pictures made us late! Oops! Jenn. S (Todd's wife) called me on our way to church to see where we were. . .

One thing that just warmed my heart so much was during the service. I sat with my family and during the meet and greet, the girls that stayed in our home came up to me with a "Set Apart" T-shirt and told me I needed to put it on and sit with them. Just filled my heart to the brim! My prayer is these girls will love and serve our Lord and others to their fullest and best all the days of their lives!

Breakfast before SAT - 5:00 a.m. Ash is so much like her mama. Doesn't miss a party, even if its a bad one or one at 5:00 a.m.

Cuddle bugs

Always time for silliness. . .