BGC OF LAWRENCE YOUTH OF THE YEAR.....

5 o'clock rolled around today and ruined my day.  I made a mistake at work and discovered it right at 5 o'clock.  It wasn't a huge mistake but a careless and senseless one.  I was frustrated with myself, now running late, tired, hungry and my evening was just beginning.  I had told Raelynn I would take her to the Boys and Girls Club of Lawrence Youth of the Year event tonight where the select the Lawrence Youth of the Year that will go on to compete for National Youth of the Year.  The truth is, at this point, it was the last thing I wanted to do.  In fact, after I picked Raelynn up, I carefully tried to convince her she would probably be bored in hopes that she would decide not to go.  She wavered a little and then decided if she didn't go she would never know what it was like and if it ended up being boring she would know not to go again.  Soooo we rushed home, rushed dinner, freshened up and rushed back out the door just as we have all week.  As I drove into the parking lot of the Lied Center and passed the Dole Institute I knew it was a good thing Raelynn made me come.  It is beautiful up there and impossible to stay grouchy.  We got out of the car and I thanked Raelynn for making me come.  :)  We entered the Lied Center where Raelynn was greeted with hugs from some of her staff and I was greeted with smiles from many people I knew in the community.  We found our way to our seats and never stopped smiling, chatting or crying after that.  The BGC of Lawrence has been very important to our family because they provide so many wonderful programs and give Raelynn, and Cooper next year, a safe place to be after school and during the summer.  I have been amazed by the program and what it does.  This year I even joined their efforts by being on the Parent Giving Team, a new group within the organization that focuses on raising additional money for the program.  But even with this involvement and love for the program, I had no idea how awesome tonight would be.  The evening MC was Kim Murphree who makes everything grand!  It started off with the singing of the National Anthem and then we heard from the candidates, Trei Dudley (National Youth of the Year), Charlie Weis (KU Football Coach) and Colby Wilson (Lawrence BGC Director).  There were also dance performances by 2 or the local clubs which Raelynn loved.  Seriously it was a wonderful program and motivational evening.   I will tell you right now we will be annual attendees from now on.  The highlights of the evening for me was when Raelynn pulled the donation envelope out of the program and asked what it was.  I told her it was a donation envelope and she instantly asked if she could donate $20 of her "Giving" money. I told her I thought that was a fantastic idea.  She completed the entire donation envelope herself and was so happy to do it.  The other awing moment to me was when I listened to Charlie Weis tell the youth that the most important thing in their lives was to be a "good kid".  We constantly stress to the kids that we don't care if they are the smartest, the fastest, the funniest, the prettiest, the cutest, the most creative.......all we want them to be is kind, honest and compassionate and if they are that they will always find success and happiness.  And wouldn't you know it, but in a nutshell Charlie Weis said the same thing tonight.  At one point Raelynn looked up at me and said, "Is this where you got that being kind thing from?"  To which I responded of course, "No, he got it from me!"  It took her a minute to think about it and then just smiled.  The whole evening was amazing and Ajala Anavberokhai was named the 2013 Youth of the Year who we congratulate,  but in my mind there were soooooo many winners in that room!  A wonderfully surprising evening that is just what I needed!