the end of activity days with my girl

When you turn twelve in our church, you get to start going to "Young Women" and no longer attend "Activity Days" (which I teach twice a month).

So as much as I'm excited for Lucy to be twelve (oh man, she is SO EXCITED), I've been holding onto the chance I've had to be her teacher in Activity Days.  We have had a pretty good time together:)

Teaching Activity Days is one of my favorite callings I've ever had at church.  You meet with a group of ten and eleven-year-olds twice a month and watch their eyes sparkle at whatever type of activity you throw at them.  You could be cleaning up cow manure for all they care, they're just excited to get together!

Aside from my side-kick helper Lucy, who has seemed to help manage and create ideas for every activity, I have the best teaching partner named Shelly.  I learn so much from her as well as from these sweet girls.  I talked a little about this back HERE, but in September we learned to bake and had a little bake-off:

Chocolate zucchini muffins:
 ...and pumpkin muffins:

We also learned how to cut up various fruits:
And celebrated a birthday of one of the girls we were losing to Young Women (she was turning 12 that week).
Part of the idea was to serve each other a meal (from their "Faith in God" books), so these sweeties served each other up with big smiles.

The next week we learned about keeping our bodies healthy...
We talked about the food pyramid and cut out all kinds of pictures of different foods (from newspaper coupons) and put them onto our "food pyramid."

Then we did a little "deck of cards" workout, (Lu's favorite) and wrapped it up by bringing a birthday banner to my neighbor (who is the primary president).
We have fun I tell you!

Last week we learned interesting facts about all the leaders of our church in preparation for General Conference.
Not the grandest picture in all the land, but you get the idea (which we took from HERE).
As much as Lucy has adored Activity Days, I think she's ok to go ahead and leave me, dang it all!

She got invited to a Personal Progress gathering the Sunday morning before her birthday and it was so weird to have all three girls load up in the car and head off together, leaving Dave and I all alone.
(We were kind of ok with the all alone part though...:)

Her new class "heart attacked" our door and yard on her birthday:
(more back HERE)

Her new leaders came to visit (more on that back there too...)

She loves them already.

They brought her a new Young Women necklace she has worn with pride ever since:
And then, just like that, she marched off to her first Young Women activity on Wednesday night and never looked back.

I always wish I could hold onto my kids.
Just snuggle them up forever.

But alas, life doesn't work like that, gosh dang it!

I'll take all the side snuggles I can get as she marches forward, becoming the girl God wants her to be with amazing church leaders joining her "village."

Those girls and leaders came to take Lucy from primary on Sunday.  It's a tradition for the older girls to come sing the "graduating" primary child's favorite song together in Primary before they take her to Young Women's class.  Lucy chose "The Miracle," and I stood in the back with a lump in my throat and tears welling up in my eyes at that song. Happy tears, so grateful for miracles in life, the ones that buoy this girl (and all of us) up on a daily basis, the way she is growing and learning in such beautiful ways, with all of us at her side, but mostly for THE miracle.
Love that girl and her forever "cheerleaders" behind her in that picture.