"I want to get a fake id that just says I'm 18 so I can get a tattoo."

Letter boards are back in full force. We're knee deep in poetry in 8th grade which is all kinds of rigor. 7th graders are writing essays and we're still in our first few days of getting to know one another. 

But back at Young Life, things feel like we came back home again. I'm so thankful for time with leaders where we laugh hard and share stories and connect before we go meet with HS kids. I'm so lucky to know YL girls like Julia and Olivia and Cass who feel like family.

Tonight we talked through a whole slew of questions that I loved:

What were the 3 (good or bad) most significant experiences for you in 2017?
What was the most valuable life lesson you learned in 2017?
Whose life do you want to imitate more this year? How will you do that?
Who most memorably walked alongside you last year?
How do you hope God grows you spiritually in 2018?
What habits, relationships, or mindsets do you need to hold on to in 2018?
What habits, relationships, or mindsets do you need to let go of in 2018?
How do you want to contribute to Young Life in 2018?

"You can't go wrong with biscuits and gravy."

Best Surprise Friday: TWO HOUR DELAY

Cutest Surprise Friday: This drawing and a rose from one of my new students

Saturday morning I went on an adventure with Sophie, Elise, Cass and Maddie. First we went to Just Judy's for breakfast at Binford and 62nd. It was delicious and cheap and just what we wanted.

Then I took the girls to the Veal's Ice Tree-- Indiana's Winter Wonder. The name is a bit deceiving, as there is no tree under all that ice, but that's what makes it even more incredible. For decades, this family has been making this icy sculpture in their backyard by pumping water from their pond to continuously spray over a frame of 2 x 4s and branches. The color is added with food dye in the water and the whole thing just keeps growing as long as temperatures are cold enough.

Saturday night we celebrated the first Wyld Life Club of the year with a New Year's Party at the Barn-- fidget spinners encouraged.

The girls from the Clubhouse showed up in full force-- they're the main characters of my days ever week day from 7:30-2:45 and I'm such a fan of them. They're silly and weird and fun and I love them a lot.

Everything we did tonight had to do with a common resolution that people make.

GET IN SHAPE-- bunk beds, squats and sit-ups with a partner

EAT HEALTHIER-- a relay involving green beans, peaches and beets

LEARN A NEW SKILL-- fidget spinner tricks

TAKE A RISK-- karaoke in-front of the whole crowd

Cassidy Ogan, Senior extraordinaire, gave the Club talk tonight and did such a great job. She shared who she was in Junior High and how she got to the point where she realized that she wanted to change and be someone else. She told us the story of the prodigal son and how after he tried to orchestrate his own life for awhile, he realized that things would be so much better if he returned to his father. Cass told us about how we can go home to God and how he'll help shape us into the best version of ourselves by looking more like him.

Sunday was for sleeping in, church at Northview, friendship bracelets, the gym, trying the Quirky Feather coffee shop in Carmel and starting a new book. I really love weekends.

"I don't want to start because I love homework and I don't want to finish it before I go home."

Highs of the day:

Reuniting with kids of the Clubhouse
Four brand-new classes of 7th graders
Finding out cool things about new kids
Getting to have WL and FBC kids in class
Spicy chicken salad at lunch
SOAR kids writing notes to Cass about what they did over break
Best Friend Necklace day in the FBC

Holden playing the Greatest Showman soundtrack

Asking girls discussion questions

Cassidy came to hang out with us at FBC even though she didn't have to come to cadet today

Being back in my normal routines-- letter board, the blog, Dec Varsity post
Watching all of these friends reunite after being apart over break
Talking with Cass about how much we love these kids

Finishing "Lucky Broken Girl" and loving the story of Ruthie
Finding out early that we have a delay tomorrow
Getting to have Linda's chili for dinner
Going to bed at 9:00

"Culture does not make people. People make culture."

I'M BACK! I'M STILL HERE! This winter break I took a blog hiatus. Looking back, it was so good for me to just let go of daily routines (i.e. blogging) and not be tied down to a schedule for awhile. But have no fear, Lives Overlap will continue in 2018. I'm back to work, back to coffee in the morning, new page-a-day calendars, letter board messages, YL events, pen-pal letters and writing blog pots. 

Here's a quick overview of the last few weeks...

The last day of school ended with an activity period-- all the kids in my building sign up for a teacher's classroom and activity. The girls and Gibby in my room made friendship bracelets and we sat in a circle and talked and it was just beyond perfect. 

Justin and I joined the rest of my family for a week at Crystal Mountain skiing up North in MI. This week is always the longest amount of time that I get to spend with my family all year long and I love it.

Linc and Red were living their best life with 6 adults who wanted to play with them, the snacks of their dreams, Lego's galore and skiing on the mountain.

Both Lincoln and Redford skied with us this year-- Lincoln completely on his own and dominating Green and Blue trails, Redford holding on a ski pole and staying up for the whole run.

Every day was freezing this year, probably our coldest year at Crystal Mountain, so I took fewer pictures and videos than ever before so that my fingers wouldn't freeze holding my phone.

I'm thankful for Code Names, Exploding Kittens and Slapzi, old home movies, laughing with the boys, having Justin with my whole family and being together. 

We visited the Croyt's family on the way back to Indy-- thankful for important conversations, new wisdom and encouragement.

I checked some things off my to-do list like braiding all of the bracelet tails from first semester, end of the year Top 10 Lists, clearing more clutter, delivering yellow signs, finishing "We All Looked Up" and watched a collection of Hallmark movies.

I counted them up and I've got enough bracelets for all of the wedding guests on May 5th! My next task is to make a collection of child-sized bracelets for all of the kids who will be coming. 

I celebrated New Year's Eve at Ben and Sarah Battaglia's with our friends Michelle, Hannah and Riley, Rosie and James. I've been with the Battaglia's or the Rapp's for NYE since 2009 and we've got our own collection of traditions. Hourly reflections questions (i.e. What was an unexpected joy of 2017?), games like Secret Hitler and Quiplash, the greatest snacks (chips and quac, pepperoni pizza, white chicken chili, chocolate chip cookies, lattes, La Croix), and headstands at midnight to start the year with a new perspective.

New Year's Day began frigidly but warmed up a bit when I gathered with Maddie, Meric, Olivia King and Cass. We ate bagels and sat around a table and talked for hours about things that mattered and I didn't want our time together to end.

Justin and I had more adventures-- taking care of the Halkyard's house, CHIPOTLE, donating blood, touring NeuroHope, seeing The Greatest Showman, Christmas with his family, getting back to Northview and LA Fitness and working on some Pre-Marital things for the Croyt's.

EXCITING NEWS!!! We had our final design center appointment for our new house over break-- so many choices, so many decisions, so many things to be excited about. Here's a whole collection of the sample size of things that will be filling our new house-- trust me, it's going to be good. The beginning of May will be a flurry of getting married, moving, finishing up school and preparing for Trippers.

Welcome back friends. I hope today is a great one wherever you are.

December Varsity FBC Project: Christmas Surprise

Varsity FBC is in year four of advanced friendship bracelet making. Our team includes 56 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.

In the spirit of the holidays, I invited the Varsity girls to think about surprising a loved one with a bracelet this Christmas. They could tie the bracelet to the Christmas tree, hide it in a stocking or wrap it up. I loved hearing the stories of the girls who gave away Christmas bracelets. 

Cassidy: I gave a bracelet to my friend Katelyn because she did Dressember with me to raise awareness about human trafficking. On Christmas I put friendship bracelets in the stocking of all of my family members. 

Carolyn: Alana and I got really close during Volleyball this season and she is one of my favorite human beings. I tied the bracelet to a gift bag with her favorite popcorn. She didn't see that I put a bracelet on the bag until I told her. She was so excited!

Rose: I made one for my sister's friend Jordan. I always love being around her and wanted her to know that I think she's so much fun.

Reagan: I gave a bracelet to my friend Lauren after we finished finals and I told her I was so proud of her. The day before finals my friend Emma was stressing out. I told her how smart she is and how she is the kind of person who never gives up, even when it's hard.

Brooke and Sarah: We conspired together to surprise Bailey with a Varsity t-shirt and invitation to join Varsity FBC on Christmas morning. Brookie wrapped up the t-shirt and put it under the tree with a note that said it was from Santa's elves. Bailey was shocked and so excited when she pulled it out.

Holden: I gave my little cousin Madison a bracelet at Christmas!

Kendall: I gave a bracelet to my new friend Jayden from Tennis. We've been playing together in classes for the last weeks and we always have fun together. She loved the bracelet and it made her day.

"Purposefully went to your Insta Story so I could read today's quote before my final."

Highs of the Day:
1. Cassidy made up a Kahoot about us and it made me laugh
2. A note from Grace in 5th period
3. Taco Triangles for lunch
4. Hannah told me she showed up for her friend, even when she had to do it by herself
5. Jane asked me, "How are you really doing?"
6. FBC was off the walls
7. Got to have dinner with Smelko and it was so good for my soul
8. Started a list of 18 in 2018 I'm going to make happen
9. We started planning about a grand Smelko and Sar adventure for this year (remember Niagara Falls in 2017?)
10. Sitting by the fire at Starbucks
11. Finishing "One Of Us Is Lying" by Karen McManus-- OH MY GOSH IT WAS SO GOOD

"Yesterday I found a pair of my matching American Girl doll earrings and I put them in. I just realized I didn't take them out and I've been walking around the HS with dangling star earrings on all day!" Love Tanks

We have a handful of HSE Young Life traditions that we've cultivated over the years, but love tanks is one of my favorites. At the end of each semester, we spend our last night of Campaigners writing notes to kids and leaders about why they're important, valued, loved and appreciated. 

This simple act of love is something that kids are pumped about. They look forward to it for weeks, start writing their notes in advance and make sure that their friends come with them. 

Without fail, Love Tanks night is always the biggest crowd of the whole year. People want to be loved and embrace the opportunity to love others. Tonight as I walked down the row of bags and looked at the names, there were so many that I didn't recognize. Our YL family has grown to the point where I don't know every person AND where new people are showing up each and every week. There is something exciting happening in this space that these HS students want to be part of. 

Tonight I'm thankful for intentional time to build people up. I love these kids-- the Wyld Life leaders I work alongside, the YL leaders I get to partner with, and the girls who have become like little sisters and friends to me. So many of my favorite humans are in my life because of Young Life. Tonight I got to remind them of how their loved, that I believe in them and that God has great plans for their lives.