First pics 2008!

I was able to be at camp thursday night and friday. i got to see old staff and meet the new summer staff, see a few campers i've had before, and see some of my favorite volunteers from the city!

pamela and danielle - i had danielle last year and like half of my favorite pictures are of her.
breyaunna - DRAMA!!!

man man and lameisha.

this is not from camp, but look - my first set of kinky twists! :-) this is hadley, she lives in rupert and let me try something new - but they turned out great.

Road Trippin'

i made it to camp! No wrong turns, no crashing . . .i stayed in my first hotel by myself and just really didn't have any trouble. i also paid under $4 a gallon for gas for most of the trip - God really worked that out in my favor! so after 32 hours and about 1900 miles i am here! when i got here one of the staff said "welcome home" - and i am GLAD to be home!

My friend was appalled that I had not taken scenery pictures. So . .. here are a couple from my trip. Also, (and i can't believe i almost forgot!) i counted 23 dead animals on the side of the road!

My first toll booth. (well, where i was driving anyway). this is the scenery for my new home, so . . .)

on the road between chicago and camp. this is a divided interstate so there are 2 lanes of southbound traffic about 30 feet to the left. it is CRAZY to me that you can't see through the trees like that.

"Go, therefore, into all the world . . ."

I have now been commissioned as a missionary by the both the church I grew up in and my college church in Boise. Both churches have shown a tremendous amount of support and affection as I make this transition. My ministry is an overflow of the ministries of these churches - and the lives I touch at camp are a direct result of the ways that people in both churches have touched my life.

Wayne, Alice, Megan, Laura, Pastor John, Linda

Here is a picture from my commissioning at Paul Baptist Church in Rupert last month. Laura was commissioned that Sunday as well. She is in Africa with Mercy Ships - a mission organization that spreads the gospel and provides medical services to those in dire need. Check out her amazing blog at http://lziulkowski.blogspot.com/ Laura and I grew up doing ministry together and dreaming about being missionaries. It's cool to me that this is happening for both of us at the same time!

This is my commissioning at St. Paul Baptist last Sunday. I have been at this church for the past 5 years and will really miss the relationships that I have there.

Sydney and Isabella at my farewell party in Boise. Sydney, age 7, said she thinks it is rude to have a party because I am leaving. She thinks it's sad I'm going and she doesn't really know why we would want to have a party about that. Funny.

i am finally packed to move to Chicago!!! i was able to take only what I could fit in my car - and still use my rear view mirror! (okay, i am mailing 2 boxes of books and my grandma's china is staying at my parents, but otherwise). i was praying for a perfect solution to moving my stuff and this really has turned out to be the best! praise God! i am in rupert until june 23rd and then i will be driving across the country, visiting a few people, and arriving at camp the 26th or 27th - pray for safe travel and that i don't get lost on the way! :-)

this is my friend beth and her baby jace - a HUGE thanks to them for helping me pack - anyone who's ever helped me before knows i am bad at putting stuff in small spaces!

Sno Cone Craze

okay, so first i have to just ask: why is webdings one of the font options in blogger? actually, why is webdings a font option?

so, i re-discovered sno cones last week and if you have not had one yet this summer you really should drop what you are doing and rush out to the nearest sno cone shack. one quick suggestion - instead of getting 2 flavors you should get 2 smalls. then you can have two flavors but they won't mix.


my friend courtney and i took 3 ice cube trays to the sno cone guy (who was a remarkably good sport) and he put ice in all the cubes and then a different flavor in each one. so we got to taste 38 flavors which was basically all of them.


here's a list of the flavors i am recommending:
tangerine
popeye (sweet red raspberry)
daquiri
godzilla
kiwi
green apple
georgia peach
*** also, ask if they have cream - they pour it over the top and then your sno cone will be over the rainbow!!

Trying to Pack

Okay, so I'm trying to pack. Well, that's not even true - I am supposed to be trying to pack but then there are just so many other things to do and people to see and "last time to do this" and such, so I have yet to actually packed anything. But I will. And my friend Beth will help me so it will even get packed good.

This is my friend's baby Keyauna and I get to keep her sometimes (like today when i probably should have been packing). She is TOO beautiful and sweet and easy and I wish that I had a baby!



this is her at the zoo lookin' at a lizard like "you stay over there and i'll stay over here and we'll be okay"



and this is her getting her pictures taken for her one year birthday party.

so, i have 10 more days until i leave boise. UNBELIEVABLE!!! God is so good and i know it's all in what He has, but i am a little emotional and a little overwhelmed. i'm thankful for all my friends who want to see me before i go but also tired from so many good-byes. . . .