Summer of a lifetime

Tami and I headed off to outside of St. Louis where we spent 20 days in "boot camp". This boot camp helped us to grow in ourselves, to experience God in a way that we had not done before, and to prepare us for what we could encounter in our adventure overseas. There was over 100 hundred of us on the Eurotrip 1 alone, in Eurotrip 2 there was about 50. Eurotrip to went to different countries than Euro 1

The next for weeks we spent traveling to 9 different countries in Europe. What we did there was we each were in groups whether it be puppets, singing/dancing, or drama. By doing this it would attract people to come and watch. While one group was preforming the other groups would go to these people and try to strike up a conversation about God and how one can be saved. You are probably thinking how can you do that when they don't speak English? That is where the miricales of God come in. He found some way to break that language barrier. Where it be they spoke English, or we had a little booklet of their language, or a friend of theirs spoke English and could translate(which was a double bonus).

I didn't personally lead anyone to God that summer. I was only 14 years old and a little bashful. So I prayed. I prayed for my friends and the people they were talking too. I prayed that God would forgive the sins of those who didn't know. I don't remember how many people were actually lead to God that summer, but I know that we made an impact.

Horrible News

I remember the night when my mother told us that she was going to get remarried. She had taken us to kids to Dairy Queen. Right there in DQ se told us that she was going to marry Dave. Why she did that when she did and where I she did it, I don't know. But I don't know what kinda of response the my mom wanted. I don't know if she wanted us to be happy for her or what but it hurt to know that it would be official that my parents would never get back together.

After my mom told us that, my dad was seeing a women, Ree. She lived there in town, but we went to her place and we all just cried our eyes out. This is where us kids were starting to get brain washed. My dad and Ree had us convinced that my mom did love us anymore that my mom had said that she put in her 20 years and now she is finished.

Mission Trip

The summer after my seventh grade year, my dad thought that it would be a good idea for my sister Tami and I to go on a mission trip. We were up for it. I mean it is not everyday that the chance to see a different part of the world. Tami and I both chose to go to Europe. We had to earn a little over $3,000 and get accepted byReign Ministeries to go on this trip. We had to fill out questions that were based on our belief in God. Needless to say, we both were execpted and both raised all the money thanks to the help of family, friends, and church members.

Tami and I were excited to go to Europe. See 9 different countries, eat the ice cream, but we were not excited to spend the whole summer together. We didn't get a long very well, but it was good for us to get to know each other better, and experience God in a way that we never did before.

2 years

They say when your parents get divorced that it takes two years to get use to it. I finally was accepting the fact that my parents weren't getting back together. My family becames more invovled in church. My dad always said that we need to pray that God would take away the pain. After two years, I finally was getting over it. I was going to youth group on Wednesday nights. Being at church just gave me a calming peace that everything was going to be okay.

Unhappy Christmas

It was the first Christmas after my parents separation. Christmas is to be the happiest time of year, family, friends, fun, food. But this Christmas was tough as a family we spent opening presents. You could tell there was tension in the air. My dad played the song "Wind beneath my wings" for my mom. How could you not cry? How could I not want everything go back to normal?

Why? I don't want to do it anymore

I didn't understand why a family who went to church every Sunday would get punished by having it be torn apart. I didn't understand why God was doing this to us. Why God? Why? Why the pain, why tears? Why do you have to make us kids choose? It is bad enough that I they are not together, why do we have to choose? I hate it. I hate it. I don't want to do this any more. IT'S NOT FAIR.

Mom's Boyfriend

Twice a year, my mom side of the family would get together and celebrate the grandchildren's birthdays. It was the night be for the birthday party and my mom told me that her boyfriend Dave was going to come with us. Boy did I throw a fit. I did not want him too. I didn't want want this man that I had never met before, the man who is not my dad to come with.

"Are you okay?"

One night, while I was still in 6th grade, my mom and I were watching TV, she evetually asked if I was okay. I said," Yeah, why?" She had told me that the school guidance counselor, who was also my friend's dad, was worried about me because I have been acting different. I just wanted to say "Duh, Mom. You and dad are separated. I don't get to see my brother and sisters as much anymore. I have no one to turn to. Do you think I am going to act different?" I didn't however. Why can't parent just tell? It is sad to say that the guidance counselor says I have been acting different and my mom didn't even notice.

Parents said they would try

For the longest time my mom would not talk to my dad. When they did, they had told us kids that there was no promise but they were going to try to work it out. Talk about false hope. But I knew that it would not work because I knew my mom was going out on a date with another man. I was often home by myself because my mom was out on a date. I remember waking up around midnight and my mom would just be getting in. If my parents were supposed to work it out why is my mother going out on dates? She never gave my dad a shot.

Starting 6th grade

When school started at the end of August I was in 6th grade. It felt so weird. Me and my friend Cristy, were the only one out of our group of friends whose parents were divorced or separated. It was less then 30 days since my parents got separated, and had to start school I had no time to greive. Something about me had changed. I was no longer that bratty little girl. I was now an only child, I had to take care of myself because my mom was working. I was quite, I didn't get into trouble for talking anymore. I walked to and from school because my mom had an apartment a block way. I would get home school, turn on the TV and eat something. Or sometimes I would play we with my friends that lived in town and no one knew where I was.