sunny with a high of 75//

Okay... so basically [[have you noticed I start out everything with that saying?]] the winter retreat was the most amazing trip ever!!!




First off, Brent did an incredible job speaking to everyone in all of the sessions we had, and the discussion groups we had were great!!! The thing that really got me was endurance. Endurance is following God even when things get hard, which is something I really do struggle with. When something isn't going right... I usually try to take over and do things my own. I think I can fix it myself. But after Brent read the story about Joseph [[which I have read before a few times, but never really taken it in ]], I saw how many terrible things happened to him[[being sold as a slave by his brothers, being thrown in jail]], and instead of trying to fix things on his own, he turned to God. In the end Joseph interpreted the king's dream and ended up saving thousands of people's lives. God knows what He is doing, and although we might not see the big picture, He does. I also really liked being with some of the girls from my middle school small group and hearing their input on what we were learning. It awesome to see how different some of them are since I first met them!!!!!




I'd have to say that a majority of the time spent up in the mountains was spent tubing. When we got there Thursday, we [[Jess, Gene, Dylan, Justin, George, and some middle school boys]] went down this steep hill nest to the lodge. At the bottom was a tree with a huge hole around it. Jessica and I crashed into the hole and I basically got sucked into the bottom of it. haha. On Friday morning, Jessica and I decided to wake up with all the guys and go tubing at 6AM. To answer you question, yes we were tired. And YES IT WAS FREEZING. The wind was blowing the coldest air of my life... so Jess and I sat on the ground with our backs to the wind to keep warm. haha. Of course we went more than once... and the afternoon tubing session was spectaularrrrr. hehe. We decided to try to jump the snow bank at the bottom of the hill. We came very close about 50 times... and another 50 we ran into a little set of trees. Also one of the times we completely plowed down TWO kids at the bottom of the hill. Don't worry, there were any SERIOUS injuries. Later [[6PM]] we took a shuttle to an actual tubing place. The fastest lane there... at the very end, was definitely the best. Once I went all the way to the bottom, across the walkway, and up the hill at the end. Another time I jumped a HUGE hole underneath a tree at the bottom. And lastly I am pretty sure that I crashed into Jessica. I could be wrong... but I think it was her. Then I hit my head and had to go back up to the lodge to rest with my madre.




When we were at the lodge, not having a session and not tubing, we were playing cards. Jess, Gene, Dylan, My mom, and I played 31, first betting with goldfish, then Swedish fish. I don't know why we were obsessed with fish but it was the only food we had. I pretty much lost both times, but it was still fun.




Both nights, the girls had thier traditional bedtime stories. I think that they were the ninth and tenth stories?? [[Girls of Grace, both fuels, all three NavPoints, and both other mountain trips]]. Farah has such a great story reading voice!!! hehe.




Now, the last day was the bad part. I know I didn't say anything about a bad part at the beginning, but I wanted you to read the whole thing. Anyways... The bus was supposed to be there at 10:30 right? Okay wrong. It got there around 2-ish. Now, there was a group of doctors that arrived at the lodge at 10:30... so we were confined to the small, crowded kitchen area. Yes, all what? 50 of us I think. Yeah it was borderline amazing... not. haha. We played basically every game anyone could think of, and finally had lunch. When the bus got there and we got on, I am pretty sure I fell asleep in the first 5 minutes.




It was a long couple days... and its only Saturday night [[okay technically Sunday morning because I am up late]]. But I definitely had fun!!!




Quote: "Ich bin zwei jahre alt." --Dax. Translated: I am two years old. [[yes I taught a two year old German. He is a genius.]]