My brother has such great friends. Will is home on spring break, as guest director for the Oregon state TeenPact class. Tonight we had the TeenPact staff over for dinner, two of whom are Will’s classmates at Patrick Henry College.
Every year, we laugh, we sing, we tease Will. Every year, there are inside jokes and deep questions. (That first year, Steph’s question was, “What is truth?”)
I’m going to miss hanging out with Will’s TeenPact friends. I’ll miss our traditional staff dinner with homemade ice cream and lots of laughter. But most of all, I’ll miss the encouragement and inspiration they are to me: watching these young people, on fire for God and passionate about changing their country.
Tomorrow, I’m going to walk into the capitol rotunda and see young people in dresses, suits, and ties once more. I’ll listen to my little sister argue for her bill on creating an official Logger’s Day. And watch my little brother present his bill at his first TeenPact one-day class (he wants to legalize pumping our own gas).
I’ll listen one last time as my big little brother Will speaks to the TeenPact class. Then I’ll hug my new friends goodbye. And look forward to the time when I can take my own children to TeenPact someday, Lord willing.
On Wednesday, while the rest of the TeenPacters ate lunch in the cafeteria, I went to Subway with Stephanie. Will, Emily, and Stephanie were in a lot of state capitols together through their years as interns with TeenPact.
This year, however, Steph wasn’t staffing the TeenPact class. She’s a married lady now. And she brought her six-month-old son David to his very first TeenPact class.
So begins a second generation of TeenPact, another generation changing lives to change America…
You’re not allowed to pump your own gas in your state?! That’s barbaric! Just kidding, but it does seem kind of strange to this girl from the land of Henry Ford and R.E. Olds. Not pumping your own gas is up there with canceling school for 2 inches of snow. I loved it when I was in Florida: the natives told me to be extremely careful in the rain because the roads might be slick. Due to rain. Yeah.
Just curious–why does your brother want to be able to pump his own gas? As a fellow Oregonian, I actually appreciate being able to just sit in the car, hand my debit card out the window, and sit in peace and comfort while someone else gets to deal with gasoline fumes and a germy pump handle.
Melissa
Yes, on pumping my own gas!
As a new Oregonian, I find it extremely frustrating to *wait* (and *wait* and *wait* and *wait* and *wait*) for someone else to pump my gas. =)
And comfort aside, I admit that the laws against pumping my own gas go against my political stand that government isn’t supposed to have its nose in the open market.
But that’s another debate entirely… =)
LOL! You never know what y’all are going to comment on.
8-year-old Caleb sides with the rest of the men in my family–why be waited on when you can pump your own? 
I personally appreciate having someone pump my gas. I’m sure when I move I’ll sit there waiting for someone to pump my gas. A good reason for my man to always chauffeur me…
It never occurred to me that people don’t pump their own gas in some states. Is it just Oregon? I know I’ve made numerous road trips across IL, IN, KY, WV, and VA, driven up through MD and PA, and headed west to CA through CO, UT, etc… and never once has someone tried to pump my gas for me. That seems so strange! heh
Actually, I think the funniest thing for me was when you were talking about being inspired by the “young people.” I think I know what you meant, but, coming from a 22-year-old, it made me laugh.
Good pictures… I know some of those people! I feel like waving, “Hey Yellis!” but I don’t think he can hear.
Maybe because we’re girls and we like being waited on for a change while men don’t want to put people out. But ditto with sarah’s comment.
Gretchen,
Your brother sounds as opinionated as my brother. Though, his subject lately has been girls wearing makeup, which he is totally against. he he