Winter Retreat 2012

this last weekend we headed to the mountains for our annual FCA/AIA regional winter retreat.  we were scheduled to head up to estes park friday, but since jon and finn rolled in around 3 am friday night/ saturday morning we headed up saturday afternoon.  we may not have gone at all except jon and i were supposed to be giving the "relationship" talk that night.

it was worth all the extra work of turning around and leaving the house so quickly.  it was so fun to speak saturday night and to get time away to hang with all of the students.  i love having the boys around our work too.  they have such a privileged opportunity to see college athletes loving Jesus.

the winds were completely crazy.  gusts up to 60 mph! i was holding on to the boys standing on a patch of ice, and literally got blown backward.  we were screaming, but mostly for fun.





just a "taste" i promise.





















i also had a head cold and wasn't sure how speaking was going to work.  i feel like i look like i can't breathe in this picture!



one of the first things we do when we get to a room is unplug the phone so no one can make any "accidental" dials.

Ram Jam 2011

raaaaam jaaaaam! it's a highlight for our boys.  they loved the "real" cam the ram.  i couldn't help but state repeatedly that baylor, where mommy went to school, had real bears.

all the athletes come out to put on games and meet the kids.

finn couldn't take his eyes off it all.

jack's off to tackle matt.  get him!

some of the swimmers babysat rowan so jon and i could take the big kids around.  we had a hard time getting him back...

ginormous football shoe.  hilarious.  will finn's feet be that big someday?  quite possible....

gear.

some of our AIA students.  aren't they all cute??  there's water polo, volleyball, golf, swimming, football, and cheerleading.

snack break! free soda and popcorn.

proud to be a CSU ram!

Winter Retreat

why on earth have i not been blogging a ton lately? well, among other things...we had our athletes in action winter retreat last weekend!



we do a dual retreat with the FCA groups in our region including fort collins, wyoming and some other schools. this year, we hosted and led the retreat.



there were just over 100 student athletes there who learned about being a "gospel-centered athlete". it was awesome.



lives were changed. fun was had. a dance party broke out. kids were mauled by dodge balls.



our kids had a blast playing with the other 12 staff/speaker children. it was serious insanity.





minute to win it. sweet.



CSU AIA

the entire gang.

S.P.E.C.I.A.L. 2010

you may remember the S.P.E.C.I.A.L. from last year. you may want to read that to remember why on earth we'd subject kids to this.

this year, it was all different. it rained the whole time, it was a different smaller group of athletes. but, you know what? God showed up.

so wierd, but they started at the pool.



they were swimming relays for hours.







then push up relays in the gym, suicides, dodgeball...



basketball...





then...



the 7 minute 5 second wall sit...



yeah, you read that right.



the next morning, after 3-4 (or no) hours of sleep, there were relays and an obstacle course.





then the hill.









praise be to God for the gift of His Son, and the suffering He endured for us.