"Goodnight, Baby Bean"

Meet Laura. Isn't she adorable? Ah, I LOVE THIS GIRL! I don't think anyone can make me laugh or think as much as Laura can. Despite the fact that she is our only 7th grader and military kid, she fits right in :)

This is Laura's first year at BFA while her father is serving at the US embassy in Maldova. At the young age of 13, Laura has lived in or visited more countries than I have at age 22. It's incredible! How many American middle school girls can say that their favorite place is Thailand?

A few interesting facts about Laura:

-She wants to be an anstronaut when she grows up

-She loves asking Who? What? When? Where? Why? (she is my inquisitive one)

-Her mom, Lynn, gave her the nickname 'Baby Bean,' which is really special to Laura so I like to bring a bit of home into the dorm when I tuck her in by saying, "Good Night, my little Baby Bean." This encounter always makes us laugh.

-Her favorite worship song is "Shout to the Lord"

-Laura enjoys a fresh bowl of Korean ramen for her afterschool snacks (especially the spicy seafood ones)

-Laura recently took the Myers Briggs personality test and she and I are complete opposites! I am an INFJ and she is an ESTP. Laura is far from being shy and quiet--oftentimes, she is the life of the party at Liel (so when you put Laura and Priscilla together...it's double the trouble...haha)

My special moment with Laura

[To preface my story...] Every Sunday morning, it has become a tradition for several of the Liel girls to sit with me in church. We have our "spot"...left side, second row, at least four of the middle seats :) To worship with these young girls is the little bit of sacred that I experience in every week. You see, just as families in America go to church together and sit in their normal spot, so do we! We enjoy spending time together so much that we can't help but want to share worship together too. We truly have become a family.

During one Sunday morning worship, I experienced my special moment with Laura...

At the end of January as Pastor Harrop concluded his prayer over the elements of Holy Communion, he invited the church to come to the table. There were several stations set up throughout the church where individuals, couples, and families could come forward to share communion together and pray with one another. As families begin to make their way to the table, Mr. Hill plays a beautiful hymn on the piano, and then Laura leans over and whispers in my ear, "Lauren, will you go up with me? Can we do this together?" I smiled, "Absolutely, Laura." The other girls came along too. It was a sacred, holy, and intimate moment...five girls--Korean, American, German, Swiss, short, tall, some young, some older, unrelated--so different in so many ways and yet we are sisters in Christ...we are family.

I appreciate Laura and I admire her so much! She is an initiator--she loves people and she seeks them out. She is not afraid to be herself and she is not afraid to get to know someone. She loves with reckless abandon. She asks questions without shame. She values relationships. She is a thinker. She is bold. She is feisty. She is goofy. She is my little baby bean :)