If You're Still Reading These, I'm Impressed

Seriously, these are really long and I write them every day. I love you all for loving me enough to want to know what I do all day everyday.

Today was the first day that I felt in the groove and like we really knew what was going on. We were all talking earlier about how it already feels like we've been here for a long time, even though it has only been a little over a week. It's nice to be settling in and be done with training and stuff.

Thursdays are meeting days because they are the day before camps usually come in. So we started the day off with the weekly staff meeting in the upstairs meeting room of the office. It was fun to have the whole staff sitting in one room and I'm finally starting to sort out who is who and who does what.

Basically, it's your normal staff meeting, although we went around and introduced ourselves again. We also gave backstories to the fun facts they had printed about us in last week's Canyon Connection, which is our weekly newletter. My fun fact was sneaking into Game 5 last year, so I got to tell that story once again. However, people don't really seem to care that much about baseball out here. It's pretty much Oregon Duck fans all the way.

We also are taking turns, one intern every week, telling our 5-minute life story at the staff meetings so that the staff can get to know us. We're going in alphabetical order, so I won't be for a while. Dan started us off today.

After the staff meeting, we were in housekeeping. We split up into 2 teams and went to clean the perif buildings which are things such as the club room, the dining hall, the leader lounge, etc. I was with Kristen and Lacey and we had a lot of fun chatting while we cleaned.

We also had our second operations lunch today. The Guest Services kids were all excited because this is the first weekend that they get to actually do their real jobs since they were all in AE training all last weekend. We got our schedules and there's no morning coffee shop, so I get to sleep in late again!

After lunch, we went to get started on the sports center. We had to do it today because the camp was actually coming in tonight instead of tomorrow. So we have a whole extra day. Which also means the Sassy will be open twice tomorrow and twice Saturday, which will make for a fun weekend for me.

We busted out the Sports Center in record time and then I headed to the Sassy to train the other interns who will be with me in the Sass for the next couple of months. That is Dan, Becca, Dusty and sometimes Sara depending on the Store schedule. It was fun, even though I still have no idea what I'm doing when it comes to making espresso, so that was kind of the blind leading the blind. But it's going to be fun working with other interns. And we've been coming up with some great ideas for our Billy Sundae song, so all is well.

After work, I headed home, watched some 90210 (we've gotten really hooked) and ate some dinner. Then we had our first Staff Worship. We'll have worship every Thursday night, alternating between just the interns and all staff. Since we can't get to church on Sundays, this is our own little church service.

I was really stoked for worship, but it made me miss home the most of anything since I've been here. I just had this really clear memory of singing a capella worship in that weird TV room at Ben's house and I really missed it. We're so lucky to have the community we have at Mizzou, to be surrounded by people who are so passionate and expressive. I think it's just different being with people of such varied ages too. I'm going to need some more extreme worship if I'm going to make it through the year.

But worship was still really good and refreshing. And Tim, the kitchen boss, gave the message. He spoke on community and things that can be a stumbling block to it. It was a good talk and I'm excited to hear from more people as the year goes on.

The group that's here this weekend is a YL area from Gig Harbor, WA. They have an intense weekend planned including 5 clubs (the first one tonight). And, Ryan Long is their special music for the weekend. So I'm definitely going to try to get to club this weekend, either tonight or in the morning. It's nice because we're always closed while club is going on so I can always go if I want. I'm excited to see different people throughout the year. It's also a pretty small group comparitively, so that's nice.

One thing to be praying about that was brought up in the staff meeting: Next week there are a bunch of YL bigwigs coming in to look over the plans for a new camp on our property. Basically, there's so few camps in this area that we have been filled to capacity and have had to turn kids away during the summer because we've been doing both middle school and high school at one camp. We have the land and the permits to build another camp on this property that could be used for middle school, Capernaum, YoungLives, etc.

They already have the plans drawn up and the place is crazy. It's water park themed, so there would be like 4 slides and a wave pool and all this crazy stuff. The sweet thing is that there is a successful businessman in the area who has already committed to putting up the first $5 million for the project. The problem is it will cost around $40 million. So, the decision is whether or not we have the means to do it. We all have faith that if God wants it to happen it will, but please be praying for the people that have to make this decision.

Exciting things are happening at Wildhorse, this weekend and in the future. It's so great being here, even though I truly do miss you all like crazy. Please call, send me an email, write me a letter, something so that I know what is going on back home and can be praying for you all. I want to know everything! I love you, I love you, I looooove you! (Buddy the Elf voice.) Peace out, girl scouts (& weblo scouts- Bryce).