I don't want to be a totally embarrassing parent, but I do want to document this moment.  Addyson went on her first official date last night.  Jordan Conover picked her up and took her to the elementary school.  They swung on the swings, played tether ball and then went and got drinks at Sonic. 

I was out mowing the lawn when Jordan came to the house.  I didn't realize that they were headed out for the evening.  Addyson had cleared it with her dad, but no one clued me in.  They were probably afraid I'd try to take their picture leaving or something.  Not that I would have remembered to do something like that, but if I had, it would have totally embarrassed both Addyson & Jordan.

Not sure I am ready for the dating scene for my daughter, but I am very grateful for the good friends that she has.  She has high standards and holds her friends to those same high standards.  I look forward to the fun adventures she will get to undertake over the next few years.  Seems like just yesterday she was a babe in my arms, and now she's a babe in boys arms :)

As the visiting teaching coordinator in the branch, I hear a lot of reasons why visiting teaching doesn't or can't get done.  Today I sent out the following email to all the sisters:

Greetings!


I hope everyone enjoyed their July 4th celebrations as much as I did. Summer seems to be a busy time. Vacations, family reunions, amusement park trips, keeping cool by the pool and other fun activities keep us extra busy. Scheduling visiting teaching visits can be very difficult, especially if you are 1000 miles away from each other or going 100 miles per hour. For this reason, I have compiled a few easy ways to ensure that your visiting teaching sisters know they are loved and thought about during this time.

• send an email with your testimony
• send a weekly text message letting them know you are thinking about them
• water their plants while they are gone (much appreciated when they are on an extended vacation)
• weed their garden
• mow their lawn while they are gone (what a fun surprise when they get home)
• call just to chat and check in on them
• pray for them every day
• drop off popsicles for the kids
• meet up at the splash park (free relief from the summer heat)
• have a picnic lunch
• do your weekly grocery shopping together (share coupons give you bonus points)
• mail a note on cute stationary (I found some at Walmart shaped like flip-flops)
• meet for ice-cream
• set up a traditional 30 minute visit

I have been thinking a lot about the "errand of angels" that visiting teaching can be.  I am reaching out to all my cyber-friends (both in and out of my local area) to help me improve this list of some of the fun ways that you have completed your visiting teaching, even at the busiest times of your life.  Let's discuss!

It is entirely too late to create a blog of Addyson's party tonight.  I will just say that she has some amazing friends and they all had a great time!  I am so blessed to be the mom of an amazing young woman.  I can't believe how quickly she has grown up. 

I did upload all her party pictures to facebook.  If you would like to take a peak at them, they are visible here.

Love you Addyson!  You ROCK!