After a long holiday weekend, it's back to work...and planning for the upcoming year of the Teen Moms Program! I hope to have the new schedule done very soon, so check back often as I will post it as soon as it's complete!

As I look back over the holiday weekend, I am reminded how important relationships are. A lot of people in Dodge City were upset about the fireworks ban due to the drought. Now, I admit, I am not a fan of popping fireworks, but I do enjoy the big production our city puts on. The thing I noticed this year however, is that we were better able to be in "relationship" with each other because instead of running around shooting off fireworks, we were sitting around, eating a great meal and TALKING to each other! There was no rush to get the meal over with or to get our fireworks used up before the big show...we were just able to linger and "be" with each other.

This reminds me, a lot, of the support piece of the Teen Moms Program. Everyone in the group forms a close connection and it is amazing to watch! These girls and mentors really connect with each other over the years, no matter their economic status, race or religion. They are there not only to learn, but to support each other in becoming the kind of person they each want to become. This, to me, is what "relationship" is all about. Not just our own biological families, but also those "other" families we consider ourselves a part of.

So, when you think about the people in your life, ask yourself, "who do I have a true relationship with?"