Pros and Cons

So, we leave in 3 days for 33 to 36 days (depending on what we do on the tail end of the trip.) I have explained to only a handful of people what our trip is all about. So, I'm going to lay it all out here!
Being on Young Life staff, Nick has a job to do at one of the camps. He will be working long hard hours in the dining hall. I have heard that he will get up around 5:30 AM and return around midnight!!! I am planning to not see him very much at all. Now, this is really hard because our girls are used to getting ample "daddy-time" in daily!!!
So, while I'm excited that we will not be abandoned for a month, I'm nervous because we will be out of our element and without a father/husband really there. So, this would be a great place for me to begin my "list."
Cons:
Nick not really being there even though he'll be close to being there.
Not having PBS for the kids to go to when they wake up.
(I sit here watching the cursor flash realizing that I have overall fears of the unknown since I've never done this before.)

Pros:
No cooking.
No grocery shopping.
No cleaning.
My kids being saturated with followers of Christ.
Exposure to a world outside of our walls at home!!!
Watching my husband do what he was made to do!!!
Being away from TV (something I was considering unplugging recently.... and, we don't even have cable!)

I am thrilled that I got to go to Frontier Ranch to watch camp happen and know a little bit of what to expect. Now, as we head off to Sharp Top Cove, I'm excited and a bit anxious all at the same time. Where do I even begin in the packing department?

Being gone for 13 days

Much to post about....
First, I didn't take my camera, but I do have a few photos that I did get from cell phones and web sites of what we did for the remainder of the time at Frontier Ranch (YL camp.)


Here's Dad after rappelling!!!! That's right, my Dad, the one who just had the massive heart attacks! He hiked up and rappelled down and gained some serious confidence in the condition of his heart!















This is what I rappelled down right between both my Mom and Dad! (125 ft) *BIG GRIN*





This post is already long enough with the pictures. I usually try to keep mine short. But, now I've returned home and the piles of life are being tackled. I am evaluating what life will be like this summer. You see, this week-long camp experience was just a sample of what we'll be doing as a family for one whole month. Nick and I got to go without our children to learn about YL camp. Well, being spoiled up there now we know what it will look like. I'm both excited and nervous to do life at camp with the girls. I'm ready for them to be around the ministry of Young Life! We leave in less than a month.
I'm also contemplating changing the "about me" section of my blog to "a mom" instead of "a struggling mom" because I'm so enjoying the stage my children are in. As I sit between the laundry, cleaning, bills and to do's I have content children that are making fun, summer memories. My soul is delighting in this stage today!

Father, I am so grateful for the place in life that you have me. Thank you for allowing my soul to be in such delight today! <><

Frontier Ranch

So, in order for Nick to move on in some of his responsibilities with Young Life, we HAD to come up to a Young Life camp and be what they call, "adult guests." This is simply where we get to stay in some amazing accommodations and watch the behind the scene part of how they put camp on. Not only that, but also watch 400 High School students have the time of their life!

We are on Day 3 of 7 up here and it is an amazing experience. Just last night I ate a HUGE piece of HUMBLE PIE! Here I was, getting all puffed up that I had been up here before and knew X amount of the information being shared and blah, blah blah....I'm sure you can hear how horrible my heart was. The problem was that I didn't know I was in an arrogant place within. God ever so gently showed me and exposed me to myself. He gently leads you out of such a filthy place if you are willing. And, willing, I was. I am nothing and am worth nothing apart from Christ. He alone is good.

We got to go on a wrangler breakfast this morning. We woke up and headed to the stables where our horses awaited us. Riding them down to a fire pit where we ate and heard an interns' testimony. Then headed back up a trail. The weather was perfect! Nick and I brought our mountain bikes up here and plan to hit the Colorado Trail at some point this week!
But, more than all of these events I am seeing the work of Jesus through these Young Life staffers and leaders. It's truly amazing to watch His work fleshed out among His people!

Father, keep my eyes on You and my spirit ever so mindful of the students that are here this week. Many of them are getting glimpses of You for the FIRST time ever. May the seeds that are planted here at this time grow into a saving RELATIONSHIP with You. Thank you for being a God who PURSUES us. Pursue these kids this week and the weeks of summer camp to come! I love you and am so thankful for the blessing of this life experience! Amen <><

Buena Vista Bike Fest & Team YL

There were about 70 on our team that joined the other 700+ in beautiful Buena Vista, CO! The weather was amazing and I'm sad to be back in OK with a high of 97 degrees.

Here we are before the ride. My brother did 100 miles and the three of us girls did 70 miles!!!!

Then finally, here we are after the ride. The end to a beautiful day!

Now, I'm back in full swing. Summer is right around the corner. I feel it (well, I've already stated how stinkin' hot it already is here!) Our schedule is about to radically change. I'll save that for another post. For now, I'm getting these pictures posted since they finally all loaded!

Testimony Time

Tomorrow night, Nick and I will be sharing our personal testimonies of growing in our relationships with the Lord. Then, Nick will take over and talk specifically about his ministry with Young Life. I'm excited about it, but probably more nervous than I know.
Excited because I feel like my testimony is wonderful. I love opportunity to give God the glory He so deserves. However, I'm nervous because I don't do that well in front of large groups. (It's during our Sunday nights service at our church.)
So, say a prayer for us if you would! I'll let you know how it goes.

Christmas Letter

Wow, doing a Christmas letter is a lot of work. There's the writing it, the printing it, the folding it, the stuffing it, the licking it, the return addressing it, the addressing it, the stamping it and then the PRAYING over it. Because ours this year gave an update on Nick taking a job with Young Life, I have felt a bit of spiritual warfare with the mailing of these letters. My prayer is for God to be glorified as people read what we wrote about our family.

I also have so much praise to offer to God for the stage of life that I'm in this year. As I have posted numerous times before about the process that mothering has been for me, I've realized that part of this "job" being a bit easier is because of having my youngest child be 3 1/2 years old. It has gotten easier for me since my attitude has changed as well. These two things make me grateful to God.

Last night we went to a Christmas program at our church. This is the same program that I grew up going to. I am excited for my children to me making many of the same memories that I made in that very room. Nick and I let them roam around while we had adult conversations. It was so fun to drive home and think about what it is exactly we are giving our children by attending events like that. We are building family traditions that I'm most excited about!!!