Nineteen teens are setting out to challenge the way youth and adults view relationships, marriage and family. These teens, known as PEERsuaders, will host an original drama entitled“ Healthy Relationships Matter” on Saturday, March 24, 2018 at 4:00 P. M. at The Father’ s House, 1203 Royal Drive SW, Conyers GA 30094.

The public is invited. Please come and experience this creative production that explores the value of marriage, fatherhood and family. The performance culminates with a mock wedding followed by a wedding cake and punch reception. The event is FREE and registration or RSVP is not required.

MOM’ S CORNER

PEERsuaders are a select leadership group of young people participating in the MATURE Plus II youth development program at More Than Conquerors, Inc.( MTCI). This is the 19th year that MTCI has held this community education event. This year’ s theme,“ Healthy Relationships Matter”, will spotlight family issues that profoundly impact our community, state and nation. It will increase awareness of the positive, as well as the negative impact of our personal lifestyle choices, while encouraging the audience to consider ways each can restore families and break negative cycles.

For more information, please contact MTCI at( 770) 483-3299 or iveypritchett @ mtciga. org.

About More Than Conquerors, Inc.

MTCI is a 501( c)( 3) non-profit organization that equips youth ages 14-19 throughout the greater Atlanta area with the tools needed to build healthy relationships and increase capacity for selfsufficiency. Over 3,500 teens each year from high schools, communities and organizations across Cobb, DeKalb, Gwinnett, Newton and Rockdale counties are served by MTCI. Through its nationally recognized programs, training, service-based learning activities, professional services and network of support, MTCI lovingly imparts the standards of personal responsibility and guides youth toward applying the research endorsed“ Success Sequence” defined as education, employment, marriage, then children. MTCI is empowering youth, engaging families and enriching the community. www. mtciga. org

MATURE Plus is supported by the Administration for Children and Families by Grant Number 90FM0104 from the Office of Family Assistance. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Health and Human Services or the Administration for Children and Families

the wall as he walked by. Yep, that’ s fun to think about. I clean my house, but yall, toddlers are gross. Times two.

FAMILY PROMISE RETURNS WITH PRAYER

Nineteen area pastors from Rockdale and Newton Counties have signed a pastoral letter seeking unity in prayer for the homeless and the Family Promise ministry of NewRock. On Saturday, March 3rd, people of all faith backgrounds are invited to attend a special prayer service from 7-9 at the Rockdale County Auditorium, 903 Main Street, Conyers. The purpose is both to remember the needs of homeless families in our area and also to pray about the future direction of Family Promise.

Family Promise is a ministry that reaches out to those facing the difficulty and instability of homelessness. Formed out of a network of churches, volunteers with the ministry work together to help the homeless regain their housing, their dignity, and their independence. It is an opportunity for those in the community to join forces to reach those among us in a vulnerable situation.

For seven years, Family Promise has been at work providing the homeless with not only the basics of food and shelter, but also encouragement and hope. That work has paid off. They have helped 68 families--238 individuals, and over 150 children--regain sustainable independence.

Yet due to lack of funding Family Promise has now been unable to accept new families for the past 8 months. They believe, however, that the ministry isn’ t done yet. They are calling on the community to join them for prayer and reflection as they seek a way to move forward and continue to change lives within the community. Family Promise and many pastors are asking everyone in the community to come listen and pray as we seek a way forward and also seek solutions for the homeless in our area.

In 2016, there were a reported 585 homeless children in Rockdale County, and another 202 reported in Newton County. With the biblical mandate before us, we know that we as communities of faith bear a particular responsibility to the homeless families among us. Since 2011, our congregations have served in Family Promise of NewRock to provide meals, shelter, and hospitality to families facing homelessness. We have sought to affirm their dignity and self-worth as a response to God’ s gracious love for us through Jesus. As a result, we have helped 68 families – 238 individuals, over 150 children – attain sustainable independence. Now, as we seek to redevelop, revitalize, and renew the ministry of Family Promise of NewRock, we call on our community to a time of prayer and reflection. On Saturday, March 3, from 7-9 pm at the Rockdale County Auditorium, 903 Main St., Conyers, GA 30012, our faith communities will gather for a prayer vigil, as we seek direction from God for how we will continue to move forward to serve homeless families in Rockdale and Newton Counties.

For more information on joining this movement please contact Pastor David Armstrong-Reiner Epiphany Lutheran Church

pastor. david @ conyerselc. org

By Eden, Tiffany, Aaron, Elijah( L-R)

What is it like having two toddlers, 15 months apart? I will tell you...

Every day is a new food adventure. At any given point, one or both of my kids will boycott dinner. Sometimes for weeks. I try to stay strong, but at some point, they break me down until I hand them a banana and they smirk at my inability to stand firm. I cannot call meat anything but chicken. If I call it fish, steak, pork or ham, dinner will be officially over. All green vegetables are“ trees” or“ leaves.” If I call it broccoli or spinach and you can kiss your stress-free dinner goodbye.

Bedtime takes an hour. That’ s right folks, an hour minimum. When I just had one child, I could speed through our bedtime routine without a bit of regret. Then the sibling came along, and the oldest needed more snuggles to make up for shared time with the baby. Now the oldest expects nothing less than three songs, snuggles, five stories, three potty breaks, and a drink of water. Lord forbid the younger sibling catches on to the oldest toddler’ s tricks and begins making the same demands.

Sleeping through the night doesn’ t actually happen anymore. Yes, both of my kids are sleep-trained and have the ability to self-soothe. What the sleep consultant didn’ t say was that there would always be interruptions as the child grows. Times that by two and you don’ t actually get a full nights sleep, ever. That’ s right, someone is always teething, running a fever, has a leg ache, bad dream, has wet the bed, can’ t find the paci, has a runny nose... or any other thing they can think of.

Speaking of runny noses, there isn’ t a surface in my house that doesn’ t have some slime, booger, crusty unnamed mucus on it. Yesterday, I caught my son picking his nose and wiping the contents of his finger along

There are always two loads of laundry running simultaneously( as I said, toddlers are gross, times two). There is always a kid’ s show on the tv, snacks on the floor, and a sock missing its mate and laying somewhere unusual. If you can find the tv remote, you win for the day!

My house is also always filled with giggles. There are times when they have bad attitudes. Who doesn’ t? Soon their fussiness will change to laughs at the delight of the new milestone they just conquered. My table is filled with brightly scribbled papers with their first Picasso creations. I get unlimited snuggles and kisses, and shared bites of snacks even though I didn’ t ask. I am invited to join every tea party, and I am their favorite block architect.

My day is filled with the sound of“ If you are happy and you know it” and the unrhythmic pitter-patter of little feet stomping the hardwood floors. We read the same stories, over and over until I can quote each line without looking at the page. I like it this way because while they think I’ m reading about their favorite bunny, I’ m memorizing their chubby cheeks and soft blue eyes. My day is filled with the best things, every day. I am tired, I get frustrated, and question my ability to parent, but I couldn’ t and wouldn’ t ever trade my life with two toddlers, fifteen-months apart.

Tiffany Hanson Wife and Mother Tending Eden www. tendingeden. com

discover what’ s around the corner

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A casual stroll, a yummy bite, a beauty touch-up … it’ s all just around the corner.

Take a stroll through 70,000 sq. ft. of shops, restaurants and offices to discover just what you need. Ten uniquely-crafted buildings capture the charm of Conyers, Ga.

The Allergy & Asthma Center

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Edward Jones

eMetro Times March2018 V318 | Page 10

FAMILY LIVING

FAMILY LIVING

TEENS BRING AWARENESS TO THE IMPORTANCE OF MARRIAGE & HEALTH RELATIONSHIPS

MOM’ S CORNER

FAMILY PROMISE RETURNS WITH PRAYER

What is it like having two toddlers, 15 months apart? I will tell you...

discover what’ s around the corner