"I wish Yang was my godmother."

Usually FBC attendance works like this-- we surpass 100 kids in the first two weeks, numbers slowly decrease as kids start sports, realize friendship bracelets may not be their calling, and find other things to do with their time on Thursdays. 3-4 boys will show up about three weeks before discovering that this whole bracelet thing isn't what they want to be doing despite the mass amount of girls. By second semester we reach a regular group of around thirty girls-- a very manageable number of girls. There's a large influx on National FBC Day and then things return to normal again. 

Here's what's been happening this year-- We started the year with about 75 kids. We've yet to decrease in numbers but have actually consistently gained new members. A group of boys has come regularly and they've all paid the $10 membership fee. Girls are coming over from HIJH and Riverside when they can get a ride after school. Both 8th graders and 7th graders have found their people here and the library is packed. FBC is a force.

Once I get things started I find a table of girls to sit down with. Today I sat with Ellison and Evie, two funny and sweet girls from my class, and soon we had this whole party. I love the days when KCraig can show up with J to hang out with all of us too.

Today is Sarah Woodward's birthday! She's a Camp T kid, a professional braceleter and a Wyld Life regular. I love seeing her at Northview on Sundays or when we get to hang out and grab ice cream. She's grown so much in confidence, faith and friendships in just the last year it's amazing. We're at different schools now but luckily we still see each other a couple times a week.

These 8th graders are some of the anchors of FBC. They faithfully show up week after week, working on complicated bracelets with their string wrapped around tape or complicated patterns printed out and stuck to their clipboards. I love getting to sit and talk with these girls.

Reece and Olivia came over from HIJH today and Laura and Hadley came from Riverside. It seems to me like we've got an Unofficial Friendship Bracelet Club Exchange Student Program.

I went to dinner with Meric, Maddie and Cami tonight. As soon as we sat down at our table I got to surprise them with the news that Haleigh was going to be joining us. We were all in the same cabin at camp this summer and I love when we make time to get together. These four girls consistently keep showing up in my life and these friendships are so special to me.

We talked and laughed long after we finished eating, but we still didn't want to go home yet. After driving to get milkshakes, we ended up in Barnes & Noble because there were two new books I wanted to find. Drew Barrymore recently wrote Wildflower and Shonda Rhimes just released Year of Yes. Both biographies are books I think I'm going to love. Haleigh couldn't resist new coloring books and National Geographic books about National Parks and Road Trips-- she loves adventure like few other people I know.