I MISS MY NEPHEW!!!!!!

An old one...for kicks :) He's so much bigger now!!

do you ponder?

most people know i'm an introspective person. engaging with wee ones all summer has put a hold on my ability to process much at all. i haven't had any alone time. this week, since we don't have campers, i've been able to capture some time alone in thought, prayer, journaling, and reading. It's been really wonderful to begin to process this "strange" summer a little bit before I actually have to leave.

i keep thinking i have to figure out "what God has taught" me this summer or "what he's revealed." maybe because i anticipate the familiar questions, probing lessons learned and growth received over a summer break.

to be truthful, i don't know what God's taught or how he's grown me...or even "if," because i don't necessarily feel it. with this time to "process," I've realized that the past year of my life has been extremely difficult. I even remember having a conversation with a few friends about feeling like I've been living, going, moving, and if I stop, something will catch up with me, though i don't know what. This summer has made me stop. and i think the "something" that has caught up is the realization that this past year has been rough. It's been a hard year of life and faith. in a lot of ways, i feel really hurt, broken, and bruised. As a friend recently acknowledged: "whole new vast areas of God have opened up that i never saw before"but in the midst of this, life has become much less carefree. Faith itself is less carefree.

so i don't really know what things will look like moving forward and on after this summer. i don't really have a clue what God's doing, where He's taking me. i try to live my life out each day--throughout the mundane, because that's where we live. It's hard. the present is so unashamed.

i am grateful, however, that i'm not alone in this. it's good to talk to like-souls that can share similar wonderings.

14ers and such

The summer is passing fast and sweet. I am exhausted...more tired than i have ever been...but at the same time i am so enjoying my time here (a truly unforgettable summer). some friends and i have found it necessary to have coffee and conversation at 5am in the A-frame on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings, before our kids are up. It is wonderful. Also, the weekends have been amazing. Last weekend we camped and hiked a couple of 14ers. It was lots of fun and so beautiful. This weekend Kira and I drove down to Canon City and i am spending some time with Luker.
Friday afternoons are the best feeling in the world and the deepest kind of "tired" i can think of. But by Sunday afternoon God somehow replenishes me and provides the grace to welcome another group of campers with excitement.
I don't have time to really tell stories so the pictures will have to speak enough for now...

God as enough

not just "thank you, God, for giving me all I need" or "Lord, you have given me more than enough" but "God, YOU are enough."

more to do with his very character--His ESSENCE.

By nature, He is enough. This is in my head right now.

(and below are a few pictures of life's current happenings...)

Week before last--probably my favorite cabin of campers so far. They were awesome. and super cute. These pictures are from crazy night. I think i pretty much only take pictures on crazy night...apparently. i should work on that.





these were my girls from last week. pretty easily my toughest week yet. i was so tired; sick with two different things...it was "ADA week," which is American Diabetes Association week....so we were living and learning lots about diabetes and helping the kids have fun in the midsts of tests, etc. It was a good challenge, i guess but i'm glad to see it over. I had a couple really difficult girls and a couple of amazing ones...



Duran. as "pooh." crazy night. enough said :)