B-Boo is our oldest daughter, the exact middle child. And a middle child she is! Only eighteen months younger than the Talented-One, they were often mistaken as twins during the toddler years, although she is more like her oldest brother.
Ever the curious and stubborn child, B-Boo was not an easy baby at all. Well, I take that back. She was a wonderful baby, one who slept all night from the very night she was brought home, up until she turned 10 months old. And learned how to climb out of her crib. At three o'clock in the morning. Upstairs in her bedroom. The master bedroom was downstairs.
So, a friend gave us this crib tent to keep her safe at night. It worked; as long as we remembered to zip it! B-Boo continued to climb. She climbed up the handles on the cabinets to stand on the counters…and then moved onto the top of the refrigerator. When she wasn't finding something in the kitchen to climb, she would climb the stairs to climb on top of the entertainment center. Safety gates didn't work. She'd climb them! We even tried doubling them up one on top of the other. Nope! She'd climb those, too. The higher the climb, the more determined she became! Unbelievably, the only time she ever got hurt was when she climbed up onto the fireplace, not long after it had been turned off. She received a pretty bad burn on her hand, but it left no permanent physical, or mental, scars. On her, at least.
By the time she was three, we realized that she not only was a dare devil, but she also had an amazing flexibility. The Good-Looking One had taken a gymnastics class and she want in! So we enrolled her in a little class, which led to several years of gymnastics, including four years of heavy competition and three years of State Champion medals.
By the time she decided she needed a break, she was 12 years old. Not much later, she began to have health issues that would continue over the next year and a half. In retrospect, we were so glad that she made the decision to quit competing on her own, rather than to have been forced to quit! As her health continued to worsen, we began the lengthy process of doctors, waiting rooms, tests, and surgeries. It took us from Los Angeles clear to Kansas City, Missouri, but this past fall, we were finally given a diagnosis; endometriosis.
Ever the stubborn, competitive, hard-working girl who becomes more like her mother every day, nothing stops her. She can plan a party, organize anything, play soccer, fall on her face and keep her mom on track! She is very much my right-hand girl, and I'm not sure what I'd do without her. She has the heart of a servant, always putting others first. (Unless you're playing a game, then you'd better watch out because she shows no mercy!) And she loves her family…and can usually talk them into her way of thinking!
B-Boo & the Good-Looking One B-Boo & the Talented One
B-Boo & the Smart One B-Boo & the Drama queen
Recently, B-Boo has started a new ministry in our youth group. It started out from a simple concern for others. She fondly calls them "hobos." She doesn't mean this in a derogatory way at all, but out of a love for those who have so much less than she does. It seems that every time we go somewhere, we encounter one on the corner. She'd quickly start searching the van for a bottle of water and a possible snack. As a mom of many, there's usually something in our van!
From there it led to her wanting me to keep water bottles in the van for when we stop at a corner; just in case someone needs it. We've encountered teen moms, older men hard on their luck, younger men hard on their luck, etc. All kinds. And it got her thinking; what if we were prepared, ahead of time, for all of these people who just need a little kindness?
Her idea? To fill paper bags with snacks, a drink, little hygiene items, and a personal note of encouragement and keep them in the van. Then, each time we encounter someone on the curb/corner, we'll be able to give them a bag. And they will know that God has placed them on someone's heart. And that He cares.
But what if? What if others did the same thing? Kept a few bags in their car, so while they travel through the week and encounter someone on the corner, they, too, can help!
This Sunday, our youth will be filling up bags and taking 3-5 of them home with them. They will pass these bags out as they go around town this week. We're not sure what we're going to call this ministry yet; "Curbside Caring" "Caring for the Corner" "H & M"…but we're sure it needs to be.
This is B-Boo's heart. So much so, that it hurts her when she sees someone digging through the trash for food. She'll gladly give up her meal for someone else.
When I first decided to write about my family, I really didn't know what I'd say. Tonight, I thought I'd let B-Boo's heart say it for me. There's so much more to her now. She's starting high school, she's growing in her faith; she's growing into a beautiful young lady. That's what I'd like to share about her.