Thursday Three

My brilliant friend Samantha has been writing her Thursday Three for quite a while as a way to share a little glimpse of her week and celebrate the imminent weekend without getting too bogged down by the Friday Five and the pressure to make every week look amazing. I think she's on to something pretty great here, so I asked if I could tag along. All that to say, here's my first Thursday Three! (Check out Samantha's writing, as well. You won't be disappointed.)

1. Hosting strangers is intriguing, and I love it. Last year Nate and I took this class, and it completely rocked our world. This year we volunteered on the Coordinating Team and hosted half a dozen class instructors over the last few months. Washing the sheets that often and keeping the house clean and tidy is sometimes less than convenient, but the conversations that come from sharing space are a special treasure. Plus, anyone comfortable to start messing with our decor after a few nights with us is pretty awesome in my opinion!

Best Fez is far more inspiration than the original message, don't you agree?

2. High schoolers have stolen my heart. I help lead a small group of junior girls, and as much as they drive me crazy, they also light up my life. Last weekend I had the privilege of being on a panel of women answering questions from high school girls. The vulnerability of both the students and the women on the panel once again stirred my passion for this generation. I can't wait to see what God has in store for these ladies!

3. My niece is the most honest and accurate person I know. Lydia got a good dose of dominant DNA from my side of the family, so the poor girl is destined for years of comparison to my childhood photos.

My cousin Aimee and I are showing off the best of 1990 on the left. Lydia's grin is on the right.

Lydia also inherited a lot of the way my brother and I think, as well. While she's more tactful than most adults I know, she's brutally honest. I talked with her on the phone today, and after we had gone through the many subjects relevant to a 3-year-old, she announced, "Dad, I'm tired from talking with Aunt Anne." Conversation over. But I totally agree, little one, small talk can be exhausting.