The Big Reveal

Last Wednesday night we gathered at my house for our monthly dinner. The theme for the night, The Big Reveal, was in keeping with certain local sororities who were coming up on their Big Reveal Weekend. I should point out, these sororities have nothing to do with colleges or universities. They are groups of grown women, some with no college experience whatsoever, who form social groups with the published goal of being philanthropic. I'm not sure they are really about any fundraising or charity work, but it sounds good and gives them an excuse to get together--women love and need that--and to be able to frequently drop the word 'sorority' while in the presence of the 'uninitiated.' At universities, the socially elite are welcomed in to sororities. You don't just get in, you have to 'make the grade' and be voted on to be accepted. Perhaps that's a little bit true in adulthood sororities, but the bottom line is, everyone wants to belong to something, and sororities fill the bill for so-inclined women.

In a sorority, the Big Reveal means you finally find out who has been your Secret Sister all year, giving you gifts signed 'Your Secret Sister,' but her identity not revealed. They make a big production getting together and spilling the beans, and everyone cries of course ("Oh, I can't believe you're the one who has been giving me gifts all year--I had no idea!"). High drama for sure.

The Bethel Valley Girls did something totally different for our Big Reveal. First of all, we don't do the Secret Sisters thing. Did it once, gave it a try, but it's not our cup of tea. So we went with my idea of a Big Reveal: Reveal something about yourself the others do not know.

And now we know how j's undies ended up in the bushes at a mall. Heretofore, it was a mystery. Then the conversation took a more serious turn, and before long we were baring our souls the way j must have bared her.............okay, we have no proof of that. Undies in the bushes doesn't necessarily mean j didn't have any on. Let's keep this clean. (I sure hope j cleaned her undies after she got them out of the bushes.) But I digress.

It is wonderful having such a safe place we can go with our private memories and experiences and thoughts. We don't have to wear a façade. We can be real and we can be honest. Not everyone has a friendship where they can do it. We are the fortunate ones because we have each other. We have a loving God who accepts us and who walks with us through tough times. He picks us up and sets us on a good path for another day. He heals our hurts, and He gives us strength right where we need it. Being united in knowing that, we can be genuine in our dealings with each other.

Thank you, BVG's, for being who you are. It is no wonder we sign off by saying....

Love us!

Spa Day 2013

Just got this picture back from Spa Day 2013, which was almost a month ago, on April 20. In keeping with our rules, no pictures of our faces unless there are cucumber slices covering the eyes. The treatments must have worked, because we all look younger than this now!

Cool HANDbells

Cool does this really cool thing. Since 1996 she has been a part of a handbell choir through her church. We all went to hear them at her church's Christmas concert, and then this past Sunday they presented their annual handbell performance, Berries and Bells...or is it Bells and Berries? Does it matter? It was awesome! I wanted to include a photo of Cool performing, but this was the best I could do. The Berries in the title refers to the strawberry shortcake served after the concert. This was a sweet and delightful treat, but the music was the real treat. Their level of expertise far surpasses any bell choir I have ever heard before, and I admire Cool for her talent and her devotion to this outstanding group. It was a blessing to be part of the audience.

And by the way, whether you are ringing those bells or caressing a cucumber, your HANDS look beautiful!

BVGO: A Reunion of Hands

A new group has been formed: BVGO, as in, Bethel Valley Girls Offspring. Think of it as Bethel Valley Girls: The Next Generation. I used that term recently but was thinking of our grandchildren. A week ago, however, my perspective changed when we had a reunion of sorts here at my house. It was a good excuse to get together and inaugurate my deck for the coming summer. It was to be the warmest day of the year so far, and that was enough impetus to plan a potluck for deck sitting. But the greatest part of the whole event was the reunion, after many years, of Elletu's and j's daughters. For the sake of our relative anonymity, I will just call them D and T. When they were last together they were young girls, and now they are young women, assuming you are still considered young women when you are in your 30's.

I say hats off to Elletu and j for raising such beautiful (inside and out) and capable daughters. I feel deep affection for them as if they are nieces of mine, and truly, they do feel like family to me. How fun it was for the four of us to witness the very first meeting of the elite group, the BVGO's. Sure, it was just two of the ten, but it's a start.

The thing is, D and T sometimes looked at us like they thought we were a little crazy at times. Maybe they don't get us. They didn't quite understand the whole BVGO thing, but they will in time. I will make it my mission.

And so, as we celebrate Mother's Day tomorrow, we remember our own mothers, who have all passed away, and we think collectively of the ten children we brought in to this world, five girls and five boys. Seven of them have given us 16 grandchildren, and for that we are grateful. We pray diligently for the ten BVGO's, stopping to remember that God loves them even more than we do. No matter where they go, no matter what they do, He will always hold them in the palm of His HANDS. Thank you, God!

Cool Hand Cuke: A Tale of a Fourth Hand

Cool's hand was feeling slighted---slight of hand?---so here it is, on Spa Day 2013, caressing a cucumber. And with that, dear readers (are any of you out there?), you have seen them all, all of our hands. We are the Bethel Valley Girls, and these are the Bethel Valley Girl hands.

Can you see the family resemblance?

As always,

Firstelle