Fall Retreat, the first weekend in November, seemed to sneak up on us this year, perhaps because we already had Dare2Share in September. But we were pretty prepared, especially in prayer which we had/have started doing twice weekly before Youth Group and then at our house on Saturday mornings at 7am (hard to get up for but always wonderful). It was a great weekend, aside from the weather, which included snow, as you can see.
The night before was super busy getting ready, but when the first snowflakes fell on the pretty black kitty, I had to capture them.
Had to include Ezra trying to grab the cat away...and that's how Trouncer was decapitated. Ha! Poor little kitty.
We had enough snow that evening to cover the ground, which was a portent of the weekend to come.
The following day we did school so we could take the day off on Monday since we'd be exhausted. Then I did laundry and packed all of us up, which is actually a lot of work. My parents came mid-afternoon to pick up Luna and Trouncer to take them to their house for pet-sitting. Trouncer volunteered to get into his box!
Shortly thereafter I drove the kids over to Shari's new house near the church where Alice was babysitting the girls so she could take them to the ranch when she was done. However, once we disembarked from the van, the stinking driver's side sliding door would not shut! It did the same thing on July 4th but Terry fixed it! He came over from the church and couldn't do anything for it then.
So Noah and I had to drive 20 minutes across town with the door open like that. Noah took my picture on West Main Street. It was a cold drive! And embarrassing. Noah was mortified but I told him I didn't care what people thought, stared straight ahead, and avoided any eye contact with anyone.
Shortly thereafter Noah and I drove back across town with all our stuff and joined the group congregating, waiting for the bus to show up. My job sole job this year was to be the photographer. I have been taking a break from leading a small group, so I was also able to help Terry with anything he needed. This was one of the first photos I took and after looking through them I noticed that David consistently had a funny expression on his face in nearly all of the pictures I took. He cracks me up! I held back from posting all of the funny pictures on Facebook but I'm absolutely posting them here because it's my blog! And not as many people see this. So there, David. :D
As a seventh grader, Noah is now old enough for the Fall Retreat (and the Middle School bike trip coming up this summer).
Dylan wasn't too excited about selling pies for MOPS apparently... Ha!
I don't remember what that thing was, but all Terry pictures are going up! Crazy husband of mine.
I have never driven on the bus up to camp before but actually got a picture of the crew this year. Gabe didn't always look so murderous that weekend. ;) Ha!
Steven's dad Corey always volunteers to drive his school bus up for us every year and I finally have proof!
Once we got settled at camp I walked around in an attempt to figure out where all of our students were staying. There were three other churches present so it took some time and hiking to figure it all out. Here is Sarah, Stephanie, Anna, Jordyn, and Sarah.
Denise and Sydney's group.
The other side of the room. I couldn't find the other groups though!
So I went to the Fellowship Hall where we meet together. Another silly picture of David. :)
Noah's friend Asher was wandering around outside. I did mean to get a better picture but this was funny.
Even Prae came home for the weekend of Fall Retreat!
Dylan was our audio visual guy in the back.
Steven with Asher, his friend Tyler, and Moses.
Just starting out!
Terry was giving some overview announcements and Zeb volunteered to give up his phone at that time. In an effort to encourage less distraction and more intentionality in seeking after the Lord, we had all of kids either leave their phones at home or let us hold onto them for the weekend.
Terry and I were able to have our very own room in the nicest and newest cabin at camp and it was glorious. It was actually heated and warm and comfortable and just so great. The following morning, after a poor night's sleep, we got up early for leader prayer time. Beautiful sunrise!
Luke learned a few things from his first attempt at stacking cereal boxes last year and got way higher than last year!
Denise and her small group, in addition to Zeb and Ransom, had been working on memorizing the entire New Testament letter of James for the last several months. They got together after breakfast to practice together.
We played a large group game every time we came together called Dead Cat. It was pretty fun and funny, that's why everyone is smiling.
My blog = my boy Noah. :D
Terry introducing Barto and Tenielle who returned to do not only the music again, but also the teaching. They're so great. Barto's joy is totally infectious.
Barto is so great!
After our first session we ventured outside and then down the hill for a large group field game but the weather did not look promising.
While Terry was explaining the game, I got pictures of almost all the groups.
Noah's group.
Sarah and Prae's group.
Another funny face from David. And Luke. Steven is funny too. :D
Denise, Jazmin, and Sue's group.
All four churches all lined up watching Zeb run back and forth to show them what to do.
First they had to put the lawn bag over their heads, be spun around to dizzify them, run around the low cones, and then turn around at the taller cones.
Everyone running around in those bags was hilarious.
Ransom's group.
Denise, Zeah, Hannah, guy in a bag (Isaac?), Sue.
Terry did a lot of videoing. I did a few but had a hard time deciding what to capture. Funny things were happening everywhere I looked and by the time I tried to click, it would be over.
Sarah just starting out on her turn.
David, David, David. Ha ha ha!
Prae's turn.
Tori doing what she can with her torn bag.
Happy cheering faces.
More happiness.
We collected the cones and started in on the next game, something like Ninja Tag.
Dylan found a good place for one of the cones... ;)
While Terry was explaining things the camp manager's dog ran onto the field was instantly enveloped in dog lovers. He wasn't in the least interested but ran on everywhere having a grand ol' time, and getting totally filthy.
Everyone who wasn't It lined up on one side of the field and then tried to run across past the Ninja's on the other side who were armed with "ninja stars" who were going to run and hit them, turning them into Ninjas too.
RUN!
Lots and lots of bodies.
Then we were done and went up for lunch. The camp manager's kids made a couple snowmen. Cute.
At lunch Jazmin took all Kendra and Zoe's group's chairs and lowered their table while they were in line for food. I don't know how I missed it but she was super fast and sneaky!
After lunch it was free time for the afternoon. We had three one-hour field game activities lined up, and the first was soccer.
Barto's team.
Terry's team.
Barto is quite good at soccer.
I mean, look at that smile! He's so incredibly genuine and faith-filled and joyful. I was the most impacted by his simple faith in the Lord and his stories of demon activity in his native Burkina Faso, Africa. If the same Lord who conquers witchcraft in Africa by the mere presence of His people, is mighty inside of me too!
Terry's face is hilarious.
I was getting rather cold towards the end of their game. And no wonder, as I found out in a couple hours, my two pairs of socks were completely soaked. Numb toes!!!
I took a little warm up break after soccer and walked back up to the coffee house but this was a pretty sight.
Jordyn was completely overrun with coffee orders for two or more hours!!
Next I went back down to the field for Capture the Flag.
Yet another David face. :D
The third hour was for Football but I was so totally chilled to the bone that I took a few photos and then left.
I walked straight up the hill from the field to a part of the camp I had never visited before, a little prayer area just behind where we ate.
Clouds above the Fellowship Hall where we met.
A group walking across the grass in front of me...
Noah was trying to discover how to get out of the Escape Room another leader organized.
Not long before our next session a group of crazy people jumped into the frozen lake. This is like the third time they've done it and I guess it's a tradition now. Kurt, the youth guy from Wyoming, was the initial instigator, though Zeb is more than enthusiastic, as he is in all things.
The event was better advertised so a lot of people gathered to watch it, even those whose cabin was opposite the lake, way up high. It had started to snow by this point in the day... Burr!
Terry is slapping some cold, wet sand on Zeb's shoulder to get him ready for the water.
And they're off!
Oh that first step had to be agony.
Kurt launched himself up on the far side for some reason...
Dive dive DIVE!
Only a foot visible. When I watched it in real time I felt like Zeb tried to swim further out, under the ice...
Sarah's face is hilarious. Yes, that is the expression you should make.
Kurt, mystery guy, and Sarah hightailed it out of there by Zeb slowly walked out like he was the man.
Off the three go for a hot shower...
...but not Zeb. He stood around talking forever!
Video forthcoming:
The calm after the plunge.
This opposite shore would have been a much better vantage point for viewing the polar plunge. Very beautiful also.
Afterwards we had a special guy-girl session about dating and marriage and then dinner was brought up by Russ, pizza from Marco's! Again, per tradition since 2013 and 2016 and in between where I didn't always get pictures, we stack the pizza boxes up and then lift up some small girl to squish them down.
It was Hannah's turn this year.
She was too light to squish them though so we elected David to complete the job.
And I think this was the final funny David face. He he he! :D
Mission complete.
That night Barto and Tenielle did a little advertising for their drums since they are selling them as a fundraiser for their mission to Burkina Faso where they'll be traveling to minister as missionaries in the spring.
Jammin.
Denise's group recited James for us that night! It was incredible!
Late that night, at 10pm, was the night game. It was snowy and icy outside, but that didn't stop most of the students from participating in our version of the Hunger Games.
I only took two pictures that night perhaps because I was busy helping inside, having opted to not play outside and break myself ("Hip, elbow, shoulder!" ~ Kronk from Emperor's New Groove). Happily no one did get hurt though.
The following morning was very beautiful.
Luke kept his first days' cereal boxes and added to them in order to achieve this colossal tower.
Per another tradition, we played Ship to Shore, led by Steven, before the final session of the weekend. I forget who brought him that hat. Perfect for the "captain" of the ship who was giving orders.
We always play outside but no way were we going to roll around in the snow!!
Everyone in an obedient line...
Steven instructed them which way to go when he said Ship, then Shore, then many other commands.
My favorite is Jellyfish where they all lay on their backs and you watch their legs and arms wriggle around. Ha ha!
Cannonball means everyone gets out of the center, though Noah's foot looks like it should get cut off...
Three men in a row boat.
Captain's coming. My second favorite is Captains daughter - whoo!
Finally a really good video of Ship to Shore! Being inside and elevated really helped!
Kendra asked me to photograph her group.
We needed a group shot before we left but had to wait for several people, like Ransom...
...and Denise. Those stinky leaders! ;)
We actually had Corey take the photo from his elevated position in his bus. Not bad!
Terry made us all throw snow up and I love how it tuned out. One of my favorite parts is the outsider kids throwing snow at us from in front of the building. And I won't point out what a dork I look like. Whoops, guess I just did. What was I doing?! Anyway, that's a wrap! A good weekend, but as always exhausting. We went home and crashed.
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