...Camp T-wood 08...

You deserve a Camp update...I don't have much in me. So, here's the abbreviated version:

camp was AWESOME!

God showed up!

Lives were changed!

At the last minuted the camp pastor couldn't make it, so Jerome asked some people that had been involved in the Camp planning to speak each night. It was amazing to see God use those people and show His power and His plan. It didn't matter who was preaching that night, God was going to speak through them. It gave Him all the more glory in the end!

My tribe (team) won 1st place over all!!! Not what it's all about...but still, pretty stinkin' awesome!

The sponsors regained our title in beating the Seniors in the traditional Saints vs. Sinners softball game!

I owned the field with the female sponsors were called out for Acquire the Tire!

My FAVE part of the day is cleaning up after rec & other sweaty activities in the late afternoon. Then being all cleaned up, sitting on the lawn in the shade, watching the kids throw the frisbee & football around...its totally chill, and is like my 1 hour of vacation each day!

Thursday afternoon was great, just chillin' in the river, cooling off, watching big guys blob the small 6th graders...hilarious!

15 youth were baptized!

We had major bus problems, had to unload all the kids off of one of the buses on a narrow dirt road, reload all of their luggage, and them onto the other remaining buses...and somehow, everyone had a great attitude about it. This made our arrival time so late that the kids started getting hungry, so we had to stop and get the kids something to tide them over, so Rebecca & I went in to a convenience store and got 60 packs of peanut butter crackers. Both of our arms were busting full of packs of crackers. The best part was when a man shopping in the store walked by us and said, "If you can't carry it, you shouldn't eat it." hahahaha....love the random comments from a stranger!

All in all I love camp, love seeing God show up, the relationships that are built are irreplaceable.

It was a hard decision for me to decide to go to Camp the week following VBS, but God gave me strength, and I don't regret it one bit.

Oh...I forgot to mention that I had a head cold on Sunday as we left for camp. I was fine, but was sneezing, coughing, blowing my nose most of the week. And of course I cheered my team on all week, so by Thursday night my voice was fading...Friday I had a limited manly voice left and really had no business talking at all...Saturday people told me it was painful to listen to me try and squeak! Each day I've gotten slightly better and should be back to normal soon.

Funny thing: this isn't much of an abbreviated version, huh?

Super Duper: The Aunt's Weekend shirts are gonna be cute!
Super Pooper: funky tan lines

...let's review...

May has been terrifically calm...somewhat.

I forced myself to stay in town...I think this is my 3rd weekend in town in a row!! Considering my travel schedule in February, March & April, this is a HUGE feat!

I finished school...and got straight As this semester!

VBS madness is at its height...9 days and counting!

June is going to be terrifically crazy!!!

I fly out next Friday morning for Lillian's wedding weekend festivities. I'll be in Plano a total of 32 hours! Then fly back to Houston on Saturday night.

Sunday is VBS set up day!!! Always crazy and fun and exhausting...last minute details needing to come together. Oh, and did I mention my mom and 2 nephews will be arriving as well???? Good times.

Then of course, Monday - Friday (June 9-13) is VBS, with mom & nephews bunking at my apartment!

Then Friday (last day of VBS) my sister comes to pick up the boys and take them home. Mom stays til Saturday to help me get ready for Camp Tallowood!

Sunday I leave for Camp Tallowood (June 15-20)! I'm uber pumped about going...just hope I have some energy left after VBS!

Get back on Friday the 20th and my parents will be coming in town some time that weekend for us to celebrate Father's Day & my dad's birthday!

Then I have a few days in the office, and down time to get ready for (drum roll please.....) AUNT'S WEEKEND!!! I leave Wednesday night, June 25 for Temple. Then Thursday morning I load up the 2 boys, head to Waco, pick up Ashlyn, and head to Dallas with the 3 kids in my back seat! Yikes! I know, you're dying to know the theme this year - Aunt's Weekend: Where Kids Rule! We're doing a Prince & Princess theme, think Medieval Times, capes, crowns...oh, and the kids will get to decide on a lot of what we do, since kids rule!

So there you have it, June is gone in a flash! So far July looks calmer...just a few weekend trips, maybe Schlitterbaun, San Antonio with friends? Should be doable!

Hope you all have a great summer! I'll post as often as I can...but we'll see!

Super Duper: Dave & Jess Ray's CD release concert tonight. then all night middle school lock-in!
Super Pooper: not sleeping all night!

...camp highlights (and lowlights)...

HIGHLIGHTS

• getting to know and develop relationships with more youth (and adults), renewing relationships with youth I already knew
• 15 accepted Christ as their Lord & Savior and then were baptized on Friday!! PTL!
• it was overcast and breezy most of the week!!! really great weather!
• my team got 3rd in acquire the tire and 5th in the tribal trek
• great preaching, great worship!!!
• lots of free time to chill and hang out in the river...sooo relaxing!
• tuesday night they recreated a life size replica of the tabernacle, with the outer courtyard, holy place, and holy of holies. including the table of showbread, menorah, clothing to dress the high priest, alter in the courtyard, arc of the covenant, ten commandments & rod of Aaron that went in the arc. it was really cool, i just wish the kids had understood more the significance of it all, but I think they got the idea that we no longer need a high priest, Jesus was our sacrifice, and that's the main thing.
• the camp eagle staff served us and cleaned up after us for breakfast and dinner each day!!! it was amazing!

LOWLIGHTS

• there was a cleaning Nazi in my cabin, and all the girls had to miss free time just to keep the cabin clean each day...lame, that's just not camp to me!
• the camp eagle people that were assigned to my group weren't very energetic and my group was already kind of aloof, so they didn't always get into the adventure rec team building activities. but by the end of the week, i realized we had bonded and were much closer than we had been on Monday :)
• I had a few minor ailments, like foggy vision (sunscreen in my eyes, i think) for a day and a half, landed on my back off of the blog and was sore for a few days, then fell off the zip line that went over the water and got a little bruise on my hand, and now i have chiggers. really none of it was horrible, but I don't usually get that beat up!
• several of the other sponsors had way more major injuries than i did, one guy had 4 stitches to the head and tore his ACL (2 separate accidents), Will busted his ear drum, and Jerome's hand is swollen to almost 2x its size.

It really was a great week!!! Such a joy and pleasure to get to be a part of it!!!

Now I'm headed to Waco, because on Monday my sister is inducing labor, and I will get to meet my nephew, Cole!!! I'll post pics of camp, and baby Cole when I get back!!!

Super Duper: sleeping in my own bed

Super Pooper: back to the daily grind, the illusion that I actually get a summer vacation is over

...real quick...

well, i suppose i owe ya'll a post. yes, i survived VBS last week. all went well, with a few minor issues to deal with, which is to be expected, i suppose. i'm still trying to recover, i took a 2 hr nap on Saturday AND Sunday!!! Now i've got to switch gears and get ready to leave for camp on Sunday! it'll be a fast week, i'm house party in a wedding this weekend, so i need to be ready to leave for camp by mid week! it'll be nice to get away and out of the office, i just hope my sister doesn't have her baby while i'm gone. we'll see!!! seems like everyone in my life is either getting married or having a baby!!! so much excitement this summer! sorry this is a short post, but things are hectic. unfortunately, don't expect another post until after camp...so it may be about 2 weeks...sorry, hang with me guys! hope all is well in ya'lls lives!

super duper: fun chill time hanging out with friends this past weekend, haven't had a whole lot of that lately!
super pooper: i have some brutal hic-ups right now!

...the post you've all been waiting for...

That's right, I'm back from camp. Sorry it's taken me a few days to post, but here it is, for what it's worth. I think the best way for me to tell you about camp would be through a picture reference! So, here goes nothin!

This is my lovely friend, Rebecca, on the first day, still looking refreshed!

This is my group!! SOOOOOOOO amazing! Quite and eclectic group, wonderful to see them all bond and come together, despite the differences we all had!! AMAZING!!!

This was one of my favorite parts of camp! A reenactment of Moses and Isaac on the alter, when God stops Moses from sacrifices his son in obedience to God's command!! VERY POWERFUL!!! The whole week we learned about Genesis, God's creation and how he used the people from the beginning to fulfill His purpose and bring Himself glory!!!

This is later in the week, I'm not looking quite as refreshed! But that's part of it, right? Anyways, my team had taken a lil hike to this great lookout spot!! What a view of the Nueces River Valley!!!

I should try and tell you more, but to put a week into words is impossible. Know that it was wonderful, exciting, exhausting, stressful, frustrating and amazing!!! The Lord worked miracles in the life of the youth and the adults, including me!! I was privileged to be a part of something so big!! Never underestimate the power of God when He is kept at the center of our attention!

...Camp Tallowood...

I'm leaving for Camp Tallowood tomorrow. Keep me and the youth in your prayers please! Especially having just come off of finishing VBS last week, I need extra prayers for energy! I'll post next week with an update, and hopefully pictures of camp! It's sure to be great!

Super Duper: VBS is done!!! So much work, but so much fun!
Super Pooper: VBS is done!!! Part of me is sad that it's all said and done for another year or so (actually less, because we start planning in February!)