Another part of my 16 month journey is about to begin

Well guys...kaleo is over. So what is next? CAMP QWANOES!!!

Yes the summer is upon us, but before the fun and games begin, the work must take place first. Advanced crew is the first step. I had a decision to make of rather I wanted to begin advanced crew right from the start, or take some more time off and come later. I decided to begin right from the start due to having nothing to do inbetween. My friends are all away on trips and I cant get a job for 10 days, so there was really no point in staying longer. Inbetween those 10 days I did go to regina to visit my friend and my 3 year old nephew. Right now he is leaning on me trying to read a book. Haha Here are a few pict's of the trip.

I couldnt figure out how to deleat a pict off of here, so you get 2 of brayden touching the ball thingy. I think the second one is better.

It's been kind of nice to be out of the camp bubble for a while, but definately a challenge to see the world and hear swear words again and such. Though it was nice to be able to sit back, watch movies, and hang out with my friends in regina for a while without having to worry about anything. The impact the world can have on you is quite hard and can suck you in to things so easily. I found myself getting tempted by extended amounts of alcohol and money. Though its been good to be away from alcohol and to push myself to avoid it, I still find myself wanting it at times. That's something I still have to work on.

Umm..this week I did something that for me was challenging. I finally admitted to Jon that I like him. We talked about it and found some common ground. He seems to be open to the idea of God changing his heart for me if that is God s will which is good. As for me, I will keep on praying for God to show me the meaning of why I like him so much. Kinda random I know, but it was good! I have never talked to anyone about a relationship before.

This week...umm...On monday I go back home and pack all night and all day tuesday which is when I head back off to camp for Advanced Crew! I'm really excited for AC but also kind of scared of how awkward it might be what with not having my kaleo friends there. But Im sure God will prepare my heart for that. It's so soon! Im really excited for this summer and spring at camp. I have a lot going for me this time. As I hate to say and havent said for a long time but know that I should...Bring it On God! Haha now Im in for it.

Kristen and Aimee, here is the eating jello with a fork picture. Hahaha Just for you

The Journey is Over

Well...I did it! I managed to cross the finnish line at great speed but with a sad heart. Sad, because I new it was time to move on. Haha man, the tears that were shed on sunday could fill an ocean.

This past week started out kind of umm....icy. It began with a nice trip up to mount washington for our kaleo retreat. We went skiing on that monday (last day of the season) and less than half way through the day found out that Jordan had gotten pretty hurt. He's ok, he just has a concussion and a shredded up face a bit on his right side. Nothing broken and nothing that will not get fixed eventually. I finally gave up cause I was to grumpy to keep going. The next day was much better. It was sunny and beautiful with no one skiing on the mountain. we were given 3 hours for personal time, and we could go basicly anywhere. I decided to go up...up the mountain..in the snow...by myself. It was really encouraging.

On top of that, we had a bunch of dinners. We had one with the staff on thursday, one out as kaleo on friday, and of course the grad banquet on saturday. Other than that we just chilled, packed, had chapels and our last worship. It was quite painful saying goodbye to those times for I looked forward every week to those. I found it so hard to comprehend the fact that it was our last time ever having those amazing moments to sing and share with eachother.


On friday we had like an evening on the town which consisted of going to a resturant for dinner first. At that resturant Jordan left for a while then came back with a bunch of roses. He got all the guys to line up along the stairs holding one rose each. Meanwhile Jen was in the bathroom with Alivia. When she came put she walked up the stairs and collected each one of the roses. Walking up to jordan, he knelt on one knee, popped out a ring, and perposed right in front of us! Jen said yes, so we have another wedding comming up to go to which is sweet! After that we went to a coffee shop and then to the breakwater. There at the end was a bunch of paper bags with candles inside. On it spelling kaleo 6 and one with each of our names on it. It was so neat.Grad....where do I even begin with that? it was amazing. Lots of people and families to meet. The day was long, but started with ben getting baptized. Then began the group shots of kaleo 6 all dressed up. This is my best one. Everyone is looking except for jordana hahaha. Then we had the ceremony and I had the privilage of playing in the band which was sweet. Lech was our speaker, we saw the picture of the year, kylie and jordana were the valedictorians (cant spell) and Kylie one 2 awards (one shared with Jordana) and eric won the other. I was hoping that I had a chance at one of the awards, but unfortunately did not win anything. But that's ok. Then came the banquet. The food was great and the photos after were fun, but then our group got split up forever. Amelia was the first to leave which SUCKED but we new it was comming eventually.
That night I stayed up almost all night with a group of people, only getting an hours worth of sleep down in the lounge on a chair with like 8 others on couches and such. It was an amazing last night together as we all just sat and talked and played games and laughed. But as morning came around, it was time to leave the room and say goodbye. As we all huddled around people to pray as they left one by one, the tears were unstoppable. Even for the men which brought me so much Joy. Seeing Jon cry, oh man he is stronger and more stubborn than the average rock wall. He broke down! Him and Ben watching them weap as they said goodbye to those they loved more than anything brought me joy as well as broke my hears. I managed to get home safely driving myself, though my eyes are sticky from crying so much. Im excited for what is ahead, yes so upset to leave what is now behind. Time to see what's next.As Kaleo is over and a new chapter has begun, the memories still live on. That first day will be forever stuck in my brain, and the people that God gave me are ones who have helped change my life and who are some of my closest friends in the world. All that's left is to remember to pray for them. Thank you everyone for your support through this year. Remember that my blog will keep on going through the next 4 months as I go through a summer. As kaleo would say "Not Goodbye, just see you later." As for now, Kaleo is over.

The Time Has Come

Well guys...It's been a short yet amazing 8 months, but the time to say goodbye has come. Though my heart achs as I pack up my room, and try and process the thought that I will never be in a room with these 26 other students all at the same time again, I try and remember what is ahead. This past friday my church group said goodbye to our youth. The kids and teens that we grew quite close to. The girls who were more than hyper, and the boys who could not stand to listen but you knew that the secretly were interested. It was a sad night but a good night. Here's a pict of our youth and us all together.Umm this week we went on our second surf trip, it was pretty sweet. I love surfing though I cant seem to stand up on my board. The first day sucked, but the second day though most people did not come back in, rocked. Here's a pict of our hardcore group of girls. We had more girls the second day than boys. It was pretty sweet, and the waves were better.

Umm...we also went kayaking. I dont really have any picts from that because my camera would of gotten drentched if I had taken it with me. But it was a lot of fun! I fell in multiple times...thank God for dry suits. Haha. Umm...what else did I do. We just had a sweet time bonding together and doing our last 2 papers and trying to get as much friend time in as possible. Ooh, and I decided to do a surprise party for Jordan's 26th Birthday. Haha, everything worked out perfectly as he went to bed at 11 (thanks to jens help) and ben woke him up and got him downstares at midnight! It was pretty sweet hahaha. Here are a few pict's from that. All in all it was a good week.
This week we are up at mount washington for our grad retreat, then we have a few dinners, and then grad is on saturday which is when we begin to say goodbye. I warn you, I will probs be a grump after that week. Im going to do my best to put up another blog post the week after grad, but I might be to busey crying and being upset haha. Anyways, prayer for this comming weekend would be great. It is going to be hard, it is going to be filled with tears, it is going to cause pain, but in the end it will be good. Prayer to have all of our hearts prepared for this day would be great, cause I know that it is going to SUCK. I don't feel ready, but deep down, I know I am.

Chester and the countdown

Less than 2 weeks until it's time to say goodbye. Well....where do I begin with this week? I don't really have much to say, but I will do my best. We had our last class this week. It was kind of a bittersweet thing, but it was good. It was christian worldview, and I had many people asking me "How did you like it?" umm........I couldnt really answer that. I think that I would of liked it if I had understood it. I found it extremely hard. I kind of got the basics, but not really. So that kind of sucked. But the prof was really good, I think I would take another class in that field if I could understand it better. Umm...oh we had a wonderful infestation. Not a huge one, but we had a case of lice go around. Praise Jesus I did not get it. My hair is SO hard to pick out. It was also deb's birthday this week, her parents did a few small things for her and surprised her with cupcakes and flowers that they got someone to make nad pick up. Here is a pict of our room on her birthday, and the prank that she played on the morning of her birthday at like 2 AM. Other than having class, we didn't do much. But I do have a story for the week...

...I made a new friend during the week. He was average size, had dirty hair, ate a lot, came to visit every morning, and was a great tree-climber. He was a raccoon. He came to norm's little cottage every morning around 8 and waited till me, or stevie, or ken fed the cats. He would hide somewhere until we left and then come out, scare away ginger, and start eating her catfood. I managed to catch him doing it one morning and scared him away. The next day he did it again, so I ordered the trap to be set. That night norm put a couple marshmallows in the trap and set it outside, and the next morning the marshmallows were gone, the raccoon was sticking it's head out from underneath the house, and the cats were up somewhere high. He had not set the trap. He was a smart one. So I decided to name him. I named him chester. Finally after tieing up the food in the trap we caught him. I felt really sorry for him, but sat with him for a bit in the morning as he hissed and groweled enough to scare me and make me back off a bit, and tryed to tell him that it was his fault. Later in the day I fed him a couple sausages for he had given up on trying to get out. I had been talking about him for days so people were finally able to come over and see him as he looked at us scared and unable to really do anything. Finally norm got a truck and took him away to an open forest so he would not bug us anymore. It was sad to see him go, but it was a fun experience. Haha. Here's a couple pict's of chester.

This weekend we had Jr's retreat. I was in the kitchen and was completely dead by the end of the weekend. It had been a long week previous to that. I did not get much time with the kids, but I was able to meet one girl. she had a pretty bad case of lice and I was helping pick through her hair. other than that I found myself working and not being able to really hang out with the kids.

Umm, this week we have a surf trip comming up, a white water kayacking (cant spell) trip comming up, and a paper due. It's really sad that the time has come to begin packing up for the next step on my 16 month journey, and scary to think that I have been here once again for almost exactly a year, but it is time to move on. It is time for God to take us all away and lead us around the world to serve him. Please pray that he will continue to prepare our hearts for departure day comming up in 14 days. It will be really hard, and im not excited, but it is time to move on. Other than that, not much is new. Life's going. Hope you guys are enjoying your week and I will tty later. Oh and as for this blog, I think I am going to keep it going for the summer. That way you can know how my weeks with a different cabin is going if you feel like it. Signing off for now.