I'm Back!

OK, this was pathetic. I understand. Not to make excuses, but I kept getting so overwhelmed at the prospect of attempting to catch you up on all the time that I had missed and it was just to much. So I wouldn't blog and then more time would pass and it was just a vicious cycle. But I'm going to break out of it.

All that has happened in the last couple of months: I went to Seattle and LA, hung out at Oakbridge (another YL camp) for a week where I got to hang out with Cathy Riner (awesome!), it got warm and then cold and now warm again, I missed Missouri but fell more in love with my rugged central Oregon, we had a Death by Chocolate Dance Party (as great as it sounds), I turned 23 complete with a Scavenger Hunt birthday party and amazing birthday video featuring pretty much everyone I love from back home, and found my new favorite spot in the world.

I will feature pictures of all down at the bottom.

What is new in the Canyon? We all officially got our summer jobs. I am, of course, still in the Sassy. Sara, Lacey and Mandi remain in the store, dining hall and kitchen respectively but everyone else applies for new summer jobs and then they hire people for the remaining ones. Kristen is Zip/Swing, Becca is Waterfront, Drew is Guest Services, Nick is Video Tech, Dan is Sound Tech, Darren is staying in Landscape, Mike is staying in Maintenance, Peter is Ridge Runners and Dusty is in the Kitchen. We hired 7 new interns as well: Krista for the Sports Center, Amanda and Deanna for Housekeeping, Phil for ropes, Michael for the Kitchen, Dan for Landscape, and Jake for Bikes. The 3 girls will move in with us, so we're excited for that although it will make for a full house.

Also, I've started getting my summer staff applications in. I will ideally have 6 ladies working with me every session, 18 total over the summer. I have 9 in right now and am patiently waiting for the rest! I'm so excited to get to know these girls, they all seem so cool. We went on our retail retreat this past weekend and are getting really excited for the summer. I started planning devos (I lead them every day with my Sassy girls) and am so pumped for that. It feels good to be planning lessons again (I miss Campaigners!). It was also just a great weekend to talk about how Angela, Sara and I are going to work together and what kind of atmosphere we want to bring our summer staffers into. It's so exciting to think about the work that is going to be done here this summer and how we get to be a part of it. I just keep thinking about all the kids and all the leaders that will be here this summer and the relationships they'll build sitting in the Sassy, eating ice cream and playing pool. I love my job.

Also, my mom came to visit me. You can all go ahead and be jealous about that. It was really fun. Everyone was excited to meet the woman who always sends us such great treats! It really was a blessing to get to share what I'm doing out here with her, it's hard to explain this place if you've never seen it in action.

The Lord is good, the sun is shining and people are smiling, life doesn't get much better. I love you all and continue to miss you. I thought maybe that would stop at some point, but it hasn't. I just realize every day what a blessing the people in my life have been and continue to be. I am well loved, thank you for that. Call me, come visit, send me an email, carrier pigeon, any contact really would be fine. I love you all!

Picture diary of the last few months:

Seattle, including Pike Place Market, something called the Taco Bus and hilarious monkeys at the zoo

All of us at Oakbridge:


I stepped in dog poop at a gas station at like 3:00 in the morning. Lacey helped me clean it off with a window squeegee. She's a good friend.

LA!

Death by Chocolate Dance Party!

Just a few of the stops on my birthday Scavenger Hunt:

And my new favorite spot in the world, Maize Reservoir

I can't figure out how to get this last picture off, so enjoy it twice!