I called you looking for affirmation that my husband and I had given our daughter the right advice. She had been asked by a friend's mother to throw a surprise birthday party for this friend, but then the mother said that my daughter shouldn't invite a certain few people in the church youth group that this girl didn't get along with. We advised our daughter to either invite everyone in the youth group at church or not throw the party. But we wondered if perhaps we were off base. You affirmed our counsel to our daughter, advising me to call the mother to let her know that everyone would be invited or no party.

Turns out, I didn't need to call her. My sweet daughter did it herself, and before I even had a chance to tell her that I would do it.  I love that girl! She invited everyone; the ones who didn't get along with the birthday girl didn't come, and the party was a big success! My daughter had a number of fun activities planned, and the birthday girl was thrilled.

Thank you for the encouragement I've always gotten from you to be the wife and mother that my instincts have always told me that I need to be. As my kids would say...You ROCK!

Heidi