Norine

   I am continually amazed at Norine.  She is a truly phenomenal girl; talented, fun, beautiful, smart, artistic, musical, compassionate, generous, athletic...can you tell she's my first born?  Not to mention, and most importantly, she walks with the Lord more intimately than most adult Christians I know.  I wish I could keep her in a bubble.  I wish I could magically help her hear when she gets congested.  I wish I could keep her from having her feelings hurt.  I wish I could smack insensitive peers who are supposed to be her friends who pair up and leave her out.  I am floored to hear her not be mad at them.  I am astounded to hear her wish she was not so "overly sensitive" when her friends hurt her feelings "without meaning to."  I wish I could erase it for her...that it would just get lost under all the fun and encouraging things that have happened in the last few days.  But, I can't.  I can remember being 8, however, and being ignored by friends, and how there's no way around the fact that it just plain hurts like hell.