Hi there! I'm dashing this off as Sam packs for our quick trip to Sydney tonight with our church youth group. It's been a breakneck couple of weeks around here and I'm feeling a bit scattered as the learning curve has flung me around a bit lately. So I don't feel quite on top of my game, 1/3 energized, 1/3 bewildered, 1/3 harried. Almost like I'm containing a school of fish beneath my coat? (I love this painting.)

On to some gems for you to enjoy as we sail into the weekend:

• The Before Project: I'm thinking of throwing some money in the hat for this kickstarter campaign to produce a short documentary (and eventually a website, down the line) about the tween years. The backer gift is including a photo of you as a tween at the end of the film. Let's make it happen!
   
• Reading Alan Rickman's thank you note to Jo Rowling made my day. I miss those guys (via Gretchen Rubin's facebook).
   
• Interesting: why middle school girls sometimes talk like babies. And one teacher's efforts to help them use their own voices.
   
• Oh, the wisdom in Maya Angelou's letter to her younger self: "Remember you can always come home. Be courageous but not foolhardy...you'll make a practice of going home so [your mother] can liberate you again--one of the greatest gifts along with nurturing your courage, that she will give you." (Thanks, Jennie D.)
   
• Did you see the story about the dad who drove five hours to see his son play minor league  baseball this weekend? Here's what happened next. I love serendipity like this.
   
• 100 fantastic pieces of journalism from 2013. Lots here to inform, inspire, and empower. I mean. 
   
• Megan's post, Map of Jack, educated my heart.

Also catching my eye right now (click photos to go to sources):

easy desks along a window,

stitching maps,

bright happy kitchens,

and a new pie crust idea

Love and pie to all of you! Sam and Maddy are downstairs asking "what's the plan, Phil?" so it's time for me to wrap this up and jump in the car. xx