Our Rosebuds

For a few years now we have been a part of a wonderful mother/daughter club called Rosebuds. It is a group that meets once a month 8 months a year to focus on skills that we want our daughters to learn but often don't have the skills or the motivation ourselves to make it happen. At each of the meetings the girls are introduced to a topic usually by an older woman from one our churches. This guest speaker provides inspiration and hands on instruction. The girls are then given a "requirement" sheet that they can work on for the next two months to continue practicing what they have learned and earn a button. There is a short devotion and some snacks and play time, too.

Rosebuds has been a huge blessing to me. Although it does not give me much "one-on-one" time (I have four Rosebuds) it does make me stop working on the daily tasks and spend time with my girls in a different context. They love it and so do I. Because I don't possess a great number of the skills we learn about, we get to experience them together for the first time. I'm always amazed at how quickly they pick it up and how diligent they are to stick with it to complete the project.

Our meetings this year were: Summer Social, Fitness (water aerobics), Honoring Father with Joyfulness, Baking Grandma's cookies, locker hooking, machine sewing a pillow, Hospitality (how to be a gracious guest), Scripture recital (Ephesians 6).

The girls learned to make Biscotti

Learning to Lockerhook

The girls' pillows- I enjoy how individual they are in expressing themselves.

The Recital

Throughout the year all of the girls work on memorizing a book of the Bible. We memorized Ephesians 6 this year by singing it. Learning it this way made all of the difference! We found an "adult version" of music to memorize that is quite relaxing and beautiful. What a powerful passage in many aspects. I know God will be using in their lives now that they have it hidden in their heart. Last night I missed the recital due to sick Joseph, but the fathers were invited to watch the girls recite and then take them out for a special date. Sean took our girls to a fancy Chinese restaurant. They were sweet and brought me home a sample of leftovers.

This is Hannah's last year to be in Rosebuds. Bittersweet. She's learned that she loves to machine sew and I have to always ask her to thread the machine for me. I can't believe how quickly they are growing. What a blessing it has been to spend this time with them. I am so in love with these girls and proud to be their mom.