November Varsity FBC Project: The Davis Wedding

Varsity FBC is in year four of advanced friendship bracelet making. Our team includes 55 girls from around HSE and across the Midwest. Besides just making cool bracelets, one of our goals is to provide opportunities for these girls to partner together to do small things with great love. Each month I'm going to give them a project where they can make bracelets for a cause. Together we can make a bigger impact than if we were trying to do it on our own.

Two years ago, Varsity FBC made friendship bracelets for the wedding party of Hannah and Riley Rapp.  It was so fun to get to do something special for them that would be part of their big day. 

Because that project was such a success, this month I commissioned Varsity FBC to be part of Justin and my wedding in May. 

We want the day to be a celebration of our favorite people and our favorite things. Part of the plan is to give a friendship bracelet to every single guest that day-- it's a bit of a large undertaking but totally worth it.

Varsity girls helped by making all blue bracelets for our wedding party or other bracelets for our guests. This is a huge help!

November bracelets were made by Cassidy Ogan, Maddie Halkyard, Taylor Cook, Carolyn Nohren, Kendall Claymon, Mollie Krone, Lauren Riina, Brynn Urban, Kaylin Hoover, Ellen Baker, Elise Ruby, Holden Malone, Grace Freund, Jenna Jenkins, Tori Elliott, Livie Costes, Reagan Fahey, Molly Kelly and Sarah Wright. 

"I've been thinking about how Christmas lights are kinda like putting up Happy Bday signs for Jesus."

Yesterday, Shub replied to my letter board Insta story and asked, "What's in that jar? I always wonder." It hadn't occurred to me that people wouldn't realize that it was full of all the letters for the letter board... which led me to today's letter message. 

Through out the day I got more messages from people about the letter jar:

"Thank God. I needed closure."

"Lol. I actually thought it was qtips but for some reason that didn't register as weird."

"I thought it was shredded paper."

EXCITING NEWS!

After investigating different housing options for the last few months, Justin and I have decided where we're going to live once we're married!

There is a new neighborhood of town homes being built a block away from where I currently live and we're thrilled. The build time is perfect timing for us, the location is ideal and we love the house. So many exciting things are happening this year.

"They probably put Christmas oils in their vents too." Friendsgiving Club

We had a dream. How can we combine Thanksgiving and the final dinner at Castaway Club? 

Thanks to our YL Committee, HS kids and leaders-- that dream came true. 

1. Ask kids to bring food to add to the Friendsgiving Feast. 

2. Fill up your plates with more food than you've ever seen-- pizza, popcorn, mac & cheese, green bean casserole, chicken, fruit stuffing, mashed potatoes, a dozen kinds of cookies,  dirt pudding, 10 pies, fruit tray, corn muffins and more. 

3. Get the greatest committee ever to set up a giant banquet table for the kids before the night begins. Our kids LOVED it.

4. Feast. Celebrate. Laugh. Eat some more.

5. Set up a kid's table just in case.

6. Get all of the HS kids to help clean everything up before you start the rest of Club.

7. Have a Turkey "Stuffing" competition with trash bags and balloons.

8. Blindfold competitors, feed them 4 different Thanksgiving foods, have them guess the food, give a prize to the kid with the fastest time.

9. Draw Thanksgiving Turkey hands and write in all the things you're thankful for. Bring extra paper and art supplies.

10. Have all the kids send a text out to family or friends asking them to support YL in Giving Tuesday. Tell the kids that the person who brings in the most money will win a Chik-Fil-A lunch party for all their friends at school.

11. Ask a Senior to give the Club Talk. Be blown away by how he shares the gospel in an authentic and engaging way. "I want to tell you about the greatest love story ever told... It's about you and God. It's about me and God. It's about all of us and God."

12. Be extra thankful for everything Young Life is about. These are some of the best friends you'll ever have.

"I'm thankful that you found out what my name was in 7th grade and welcomed me in!! Oh, and friendship bracelets!!"

It was truly a Thanksgiving Break of dreams-- the best people, the best places, the best foods and the best things. 

Wednesday morning I reunited with Molly, Kayla and our New Yorker Alli at Patachou. Between the drop biscuits and cinnamon toast, you just can't go wrong here. 

 I'm so thankful for these pals and friendship that continue for years and years.

Justin and I made the trip up to Michigan to spend Thanksgiving with my family. Redford loves his money so much he can't even handle it and Lincoln made a super cool shield.

We had the greatest Thanksgiving feast that I've ever had. I'm so thankful for my family who loves one another so well and takes care of each other.

The day after Thanksgiving, Justin and I celebrated with his family back in Indy. We taught Nick all about produce...

Linda broke out her new cheese plate and we all took a walk to the pond in the neighborhood.

I'm so thankful for this family that laughs often, shows up and really cares about one another.

 Saturday I reunited with Maddie and Cass for our own Dream Day. We wrote pen pal letters...

walked through Ikea, visited the library...

played two games of laser tag and ate pepperoni pizza at Mellow Mushroom. It was the best.

And somehow, even in the midst of all the craziness, I still got all my Christmas decorating finished.