Coming Full Circle

I took my oldest and three of his friends to EFY [Especially For Youth] today. It's hard to believe that one of my very own offspring is now attending EFY - one of the highlights of my youth. I am a 4-Year EFY-er. (the maximum number of years you could attend back then). An "EFY alumni," if you will. Back in my carefree EFY years, I never imagined I'd be bringing my own children one day. (Since I didn't think much past my next cute-boy-spotting!)

After re-reading the Dress and Appearance Code last night, I got concerned that they wouldn't allow Ryan in because he needs a haircut and his hair is growing over the tops of his ears right now and the code said that tucking hair behind ears to make them visible was not acceptable. And because of the late hour, guess who was performing a last minute trim on him this morning before taking him? ME! Whew, he made it!

As I walked the boys in to pick up their "first day packets," I felt the EFY energy! All the friendly counselors greeting & directing us, the theme music playing, the boys & girls checkin' each other out, etc. etc. I was so excited for them, but they all tried to act CASUAL and hang way back behind me, so as not to be spotted with a parent!! Heaven forbid!
I didn't need to sign anything and there was no reason for me to stick around, but is it bad that I kind of wanted to?! ;)

So, of course, it took me down Memory Lane and I pulled out the good 'ol scrapbooks to check out my own EFY history. It all started in 1984. I wasn't actually 14 yrs. old YET, but I was allowed in since I would be turning 14 a month after EFY. A combination of being a "first-timer" and my young age, I didn't take a camera that year, so I have no photos. But, I do have this distinct memory...the friend I was with met a boy there (never mind that she had a "boyfriend" back home) and after one of the dances, on the way back to our apartment, he kissed her....and what d'ya know, but she got a cold sore the next day! And then she had some explaining to do to her "boyfriend" at the end of the week. :)

The photos start the next year...in 1985

Then I went again in 1986. (Apparently, they didn't have the staunch dress code back then or else my friend, Melissa, wouldn't have been able to wear that tank dress - at BYU! What a scandal!) ;)

And my last & final [boo hoo!] year - 1987.

{Was the entire top of my head bangs?!}

I really liked that boy to my left. I thought he was so cool at the time, BUT notice him and his friend (the boy to my right) - they brought matchy, matchy clothes & glasses-on-a-chain to wear together! And they did that all week! That's how we could always spot them on campus (and believe me, we were always on the lookout for them!) Why didn't my 16, almost 17 yr. old self think that was at all weird? I don't know, maybe I'm wrong, maybe I've lost all my cool now, but....I think that's quite dorky - bordering on creepy!

Through the years, I've told Ryan that he could go to EFY when he was 14 and I talked it all up telling him it was "SO FUN," but without having actually experienced it, he couldn't appreciate my enthusiasm for it. And truthfully, he wasn't really all that convinced that he wanted to go. (Aahh, the horror!) More than once, he's inferred that I'm "making him" go. He really wasn't happy when his post-season baseball tournament got pushed back to this week because of our weather-challenged Spring and consequent postponements which meant he'd have to miss these all-important games.

BUT..., But..., my friends..., my oldest just reported to me on his first day of EFY....and HE. LOVED. IT! He thought it was "SO FUN!" He had a smile on his face, a twinkle in his eye, a gleefulness in his voice, and a spring in his step! And the good news is, there's four more days left where that came from!

That's my boy! :)