Go Get 'em Girl

We asked for it.

In fact, we raised our hand and willingly volunteered. “Nothing to it,” we said. We had done it three times before.

This time, it actually happened at a local BBQ restaurant. We knew the teenage waitress and her family through our church. We knew her mom and step dad were moving to Florida and we knew the girl would soon begin her senior year here. We also knew all were trying to figure out a way for the girl to stay here and not disrupt her senior year in high school.

We asked her a few questions while she was taking our order. While the ribs were being prepared, my wife and I talked. By the time she brought the food to the table, we popped the question. "Why don’t you live with us this year,” I think is how the question was asked.

Long story short, she did. Kylee Gallavan moved in with us in June 2011. A week from today, she graduates from high school. The following Monday the gig is over. Kylee will move to Florida for the summer and then on to college.

To say the year has been eventful would be an understatement. We are not as young as we once were. There have been some great times for sure. I don’t think Kathy and I would have ever gone to a Taylor Swift concert, if it weren’t for Kylee living with us. What a blast we had that night! We have met a lot of great teenagers that have been in and out of the house this year, causing us to have a new faith in the next generation that will be taking over when folks like us fade away. And the great memories go on and on.

But there have also been a few of what the Bible calls, “trials and tribulations,” along the way. There have been boyfriends and break-ups , long talks about life and the future and shorter normal teenager talks about cleaning your room and getting out of bed. There has been cozy love and there has been tough love. She’s seen us at our best and she has seen us at our worst. And we have had the same opportunity.

Our goal was a simple one. We strongly believe the greatest investments in life have nothing to do with money. We simply chose to invest a year of our lives in Kylee. As in all long term investments, potential dividends will come later.

Our prayer as she leaves is also a simple one. That she would know more and more as she lives out her life how high and wide and long and deep is the love of God.

I put this little slideshow together as a parting gift to Kylee.

We love you Kylee and wish you the very best life has to offer. Go get 'em girl.