Last update from CO

My time at New Staff is quickly coming to a close. I can’t express enough how much I am looking forward to 1. warm weather, 2. cell phone reception and 3. In and Out.
Seriously.
I’ve had some great experiences here: sledding, hiking, 80’s music video making, and of course, I’ve been taught by some of the top people in the field (two Fuller Seminary Professors and Young Life staff who have so much wisdom and experience to share). It’s been a long two weeks, sometimes I’ve felt like I’ve been here forever, some days it feels like an hour. The beauty of this place still takes my breath away. Being in the valley where I first truly fell in love with Christ has been incredible and I’m so grateful for this experience. I came to New Staff feeling pretty lonely and a bit burnt out. I’m leaving with a community behind me, and a renewed enthusiasm for my job and calling. What a great two weeks. :)
Those of you close to my home... I can't wait to see you.
Those of you far away. I can't wait to talk to you! :)

grace and peace

Colorado Update number 2

We are THE 80's girl band, undiscovered. ... And we are material girls. Getting ready for the sledding adventure of a lifetime....not a Young LIfe event, btw. :) It was so cold and my legs are still hurting. Not lying.
Who wants to go in the pool when it's 12 degrees outside? WE DO!!! And it was great, just great! :)


View from the pool. Yes, there is that much snow on the ground. So crazy. You know it's cold when the foot of snow on the ground is not melting or getting hard...

Things are going great here. Just a bit chilly, but we got hooked up with a space heater for our room. We know the people that can make things happen. It's Saturday and I'm a little ready to go home. But I'm trying to just soak in this time away from my crazy boss.

New Staff Training...

Some pictures! More to come soon, hopefully! :)
At the Denver airport: Do you understand why I had no idea we were landing until 20 feet up? :) Crazy!
On my birthday. Cassi thought it would be funny to send me over the hill stuff...HA! Not so funny (especially to all my readers who actually ARE over the hill...) Beautiful Colorado. This is from the lookout right by the Club Room, which has become our classroom. It doesn't get much prettier, or colder, than this right here.
Chelsea and I...it's so bright outside because of the snow reflecting the sun, we becamed shadowed. :) Oh well...it's still a good picture. By the way, under that jacket is like another 4 layers. Not even joking.

So, more to come, but at least you can picture where I am and see how much freakin' snow there is here. Ridiculous! But, kinda pretty.

Grace and Peace.

Colorado Update...the coldest place ever.

Well, this is my third day at new staff and i've got to say i'm freezing my butt off! It snowed Friday night (on our 4 1/2 our drive from the airport to Frontier Ranch), and snowed last night and today. CRAZY. There is SO MUCH snow, it's ridiculous. Funny story, when we were landing, I didn't even realize we were about 20 feet from the groud, because the sky was white and the ground was white. 20 feet up, I saw a bush and then we hit ground. SO CRAZY. The fool sitting next to me what a chatty cathy (is there a term for that for men?) and he kept telling me all about how cold I was going to be and on and on...the usual, i have a book open on my lap and I'm looking at the book, not making eye contact, did not even faze him.
So far, we've been learning a lot about fundraising which has been so crazy because it's my biggest hangup in terms of this minsitry that God has called me to. I have to be honest. God has been breaking me big time about this and i've been wiping the tears away like non-other.
I wasn't all that excited about coming here--not gonna lie and pretend like I was thrilled about it. But just in the past three days, God has been showing me again and again, why I love this ministry and why He has called me to it.
Tonight we start our first class from 7:30-10 PM. No joke. Should be interesting, but I couldn't honestly tell you what it's going to be about. The schedule just says "First Class." For a person who likes to know what's going on at all times, this is a huge stretch for me.

I'm off to Colorado!

I leave tomorrow to begin the adventure that is New Staff Training for Young Life. I'll be flying to Denver, Colorado (hopefully it won't be SNOWING!) and then I journey down to Frontier Ranch in b-e-a-utiful Buena Vista, the heart of the Rockies. Frontier is built on the side of 14,197 foot Mt. Princeton...which means it's going to be COLD! I will be celebrating my 25th birthday there (on Monday) which should prove interesting. Last year, I was in Florida--quite the difference in climate and surroundings. Last year: Beach with all the Ameri-Homies. This year: Mountains with a bunch of crazy Young Life peeps. Hopefully next year I'll be home! :)

Prayer request: safe travels, good weather and that I don't get sick! I've been staying up late for the past week trying to get all my work done (the require a bunch of pre-event assignments) and stay on top of work here in R-side.


A couple of fun pictures from the past week:

Saundra and I like making faces...it keeps us out of trouble!
That Saundra and Marisa, they are so hot right now.

Gramps, Dad and Miky (gotta love Miky's helmet)For my Dad's birthday, we went on a ride up the coast: Miky on "his" bike, Dad and Gramps on the Harley. And Mom and I? In the 'stang. :) My Gramps is 79 years old and had never ridden on a motorcycle until this trip. This was his second ride with my Dad. Rock on Grandpa!

Inspiring

In honor of my amazing family members and all those we have SURVIVED. In gratitude for those who spend their life researching for a cure! In memory of those who have passed on.

Women of the World!

So, I leave for Colorado this Friday and it's cold there...and there is snow. Not something that I am very used to, on either account. So, I embarked on a journey yesterday...to find some boots to keep my feet warm and dry during my two weeks there. :)

I went to 8 stores, that's right, 8 looking...and I found a whole lot of nothing!

They my brilliant mom reminded me that I should ask my brother, since he works at Sport Chalet.

Duh, Marisa.

So, I called him up and he informed me that I was looking for an "After Ski Boot"... but they were wiped out at his store in Irvine. Luckily, we have a sport chalet here in R-side! :)
This morning I made my way over there and sure enough they had some boots.

BUT!

All the boots for women that were waterproof and would do me any good were like $100. Not exactly my price range! Then, the nice guy that was helping me said that I could try a kids 7 because it's comprable to a woman's 9.

And you know what, THEY FIT!!! :) I prompty informed him that he had just opened up a whole new world for me. The kids boots were $40 and I got my brothers 25% discount...that's what I'm talking about.

Women! If you have the option...take your shoe size and minus 2 and that's your kids shoe size. They go up to size 7. :)

Christmas Pictures

So, I tried posting these earlier, but there were some issues... so here they are now!

Making Christmas cookies with my Grandpa...out family is part elf.

See...Santa comes to visit us on his Christmas Eve run...That's my cousin Amber, she's 13. Honestly.

Traditional Christmas Eve outing to the beach with my brother. It's not Christmas in Southern California unless you go to the beach.

The fam Christmas morning.