Sooo...I'm a little late

But better late than never. Ski Trip. It was so much fun. I had 2 girls from my small group and 2 other freshman girls in my room. The girls were great. We had a blast in our room, even if it was smaller than almost all of the other rooms and when I got up in the middle of the night I tripped over 5 pairs of shoes just to get to the bathroom!

Haley, me & Rachel at dinner.

My room on New Year's Eve

The skiing was fantastic. We were at Copper Mountain and had the most fantastic weather. I got to ski with some leaders that I didn't know very well for most of the week, and had so much fun getting to know them! I defintiely found that skiing is a little more challenging for my body these days. I must be getting old!

Kristin & I taking a break!

At night we had club with worship and a talk from Braun, our student ministries director. And some of the funniest skit characters I have seen yet...and I've seen a lot of them in the last few years. I love this part of ski trip. It made me think back to my high school ski trips and how much fun I had on them, but also, how much more our kids are getting from trips like this. They aren't just seen as fun, but as a time where we can really pour truth into our students. I love it!

Ross Boggs (the Creeper as I like to call him) was there all week!

Lorenzo LaQuinta and the LaQuinta "Bellboys"

The last night there, before we got on the bus to head home, we had a worship night. It was a great time of worship and time for students to repent of sins that had a hold on their lives and ways that they weren't living fully for Christ. At one point a guy who wasn't even from our group who just wandered into the room got up and said just how blown away he was by this group of high school students and the fact that they were being so open and so real with their worship. I think it was a great reminder how blessed we are to be a part of this ministry and just how incredible these students really are!

Interesting Week

It has been kind a crazy week. Long story short I have a kidney stone. A little more than a week before my test. My last test. That I really want to pass so that I can be done! Given some of the crazy pain it's been causing me (we're talking pain killers required), I'm praying it passes sooner rather than later!!

Honestly I'm just glad it's happening now, and not when I was on the ski trip last week (which I will post about very soon)!

Christmas

I had a week and a half off work this year between our great holiday schedule and a couple of days of vacation taken. It was so nice to be off work for that long. I spent the first part of my time off in Amarillo with my family. It was wonderful to be at home and see Rebekah for the first time since Labor Day weekend. We hung out at the house, went to a Christmas Eve service at my parents church, opened present, spent time with MaMa, had a wonderful Christmas dinner, had fun with the Sauer's and the O'Neal's, helped mom paint her office, and just enjoyed being home. Here's some pictures from the week.

Rebekah crocheted us all hats for Christmas...she's talented!

Sisters

Parents...aren't they cute?

The mom's trying their hand at Rock Band...quite hilarious!!! I believe there's a video...and if I get my hands on it, it will definitely make an appearance on the blog!

The sisters with Lindsay...much fun was had with the O'Neal's and the "brewery" tour!

I'll update on the rest of my Christmas break...the High School ski trip...soon!

My first...

...speeding ticket. It's true. On the way home, I got a speeding ticket. In a town about the size of my little neighborhood in Dallas. A notorious speed trap. I had been driving for about 5 hours already and was getting to the point that I was VERY ready to be out of the car. I had the music up, singing at the top of my lungs. Confession - I'm pretty sure it was *NSync's Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays song that I was singing at that exact moment when I just didn't notice the speed limit sign telling me to slow down. I wish now, that I had the blogging foresight to take a picture of myself with the cop car lights in the background while he was writing up my ticket, but I didn't. He was a cute old man. I couldn't get mad at him. He reminded me of my great uncle Bobby. So, there it is. I made it almost 27 years without a ticket. Now that record is broken. I hope I don't start breaking more of my records, like no cavities, I would be sad. SO, defensive driving here I come!!

Going Home...

I'm headed home in a couple of hours...and I am so excited to be there. Rebekah arrived from Philly on Saturday and Deborah got home last night. I am the missing piece. My car is loaded, filled up with gas, and has a fresh oil change. I will be hitting the road as soon as I get off work today. The last time we were all together was in Santa Fe over Labor Day weekend before Rebekah left for Mission Year. I'm excited to spend time with the whole family, be out of Dallas, and just relax a little.

Next Monday night/early, early Tuesday morning, I will meet a bus full of high school students at a truck stop in Amarillo and head to Copper Mountain. I can't wait to be skiing down the mountain - oh how I love it!

And just because I like to have pictures in my posts...here's one from our small group Christmas party. I love these girls!