i'm back, ya'll!

Got back from Student Life Camp in Gatlinburg, Tennessee last night. It was an awesomely fun time with the youth group. We left Thursday afternoon and spent the night in Georgetown, Kentucky. We arrived in Gatlinburg on Friday afternoon. We stayed in condos, which was really nice. I made the door signs ("Flip" was the theme of SLC)... if you look closely, the lettering is not a true mirror image, which was driving the perfectionist in me a little nutty every time I saw it. Oh well!

Each morning and night we had "Celebration" with a speaker, Louie Giglio, and praise band, Fee. Then every afternoon we had free time. On Saturday, we went white water rafting - it was my first time going and it was awesome! I definitely want to go again. Awkward story - one of the guides (not ours) looked like he was missing a finger, so one of our kids asked our guide what happened. Turns out he got a huge, mouth-sized chunk bitten off in a bar fight and had to have his finger removed!

Saturday night there was a Leeland concert, and Sunday night was a David Crowder show. It was my first time seeing him live - he's pretty awesome.

I had an amazing time bonding with the girls in the youth group & I'm so pumped for our Jamaica trip! Unfortunately, I am feeling really old, because I think all those late nights (i.e. max 5 hrs per night) and going non-stop put me a little under the weather - I'm quite sniffly today.

Other things...

- I finished reading Winter's Tale by Mark Helprin (he wrote Freddy & Fredericka, about which I have previously raved). He is just an amazing writer. The way he plays with words is breathtaking. I know, I sound like a total nerd, and I'm okay with that. Anyway, Winter's Tale is an incredible novel of magical realism. I think it is allegorical of the return of the Messiah... I haven't quite figured it out. If you love seeing the English language become putty in a writer's hands and you're not afraid of a thick read, I highly recommend this book.

- I went to the dentist today. UGH. But hooray - no cavities! I owe it all to the electric toothbrush that Dad got me for my birthday. (That's not a joke.)

- We are leaving for NY tomorrow!! Ethan graduates Friday night and --attention relatives!-- his graduation party is Sunday afternoon. Be there, or be a square sadsack.

-Enjoyed a leisurely pool party this afternoon with my small group girls. I looove summer.

-Doug is currently in Lansing, MI taking his certification test to become a professional HR guy. I'm passing time by eating a hot dog and doing laundry.