Winter Retreat 2012

It has been a couple of weeks since we got back from the middle school CAUSE Winter Retreat 2012, and I think we are recovered. :) This year we got to have retreat at Camp Tadmor, and were blessed with snow; something I could not have been happier about.

My friend Michelle and I had an awesome group of 7th and 8th graders in our cabin. We learned about how we all want to have a purpose in life, and how God created us out of all His creation to learn to love Him.  We worshiped while it snowed outside, had amazing meals and enjoyed just getting to spend time together.

Loved sitting by the fire.

Our beautiful cabin.

Carpet Ball: Favorite Middle School Activity

Snowball Fights

SNOW!!

CAUSE Retreat 2012 = Wonderful, Amazing, Memorable.

Fall into Fall.

Happy 'almost' Halloween!

I love this time of the year.  I love the days where the sun is shining, but there is a coolness to the air.  I love all the traditions that begin in the fall.  I love spending time with friends and family, and getting to sit by the fireplace.  I love fall.

Jason and I are helping out with the middle school youth group again this year.  We had a superhero night last week....it you "Super-Starbucks" and his sidekick, "Half-Cafe." Creative huh?

Coffee Power!

Jason and his guys had a "Pumpkin Smash" last night.  They had pumpkin pinatas, and played video games.  Sounds like a good guys night to me.  This last week, I got to take my middle school girls to Bauman Farms.  Kinsey also made the trip with us, which made it even more fun.

Nial and Kinz :)

What was that?!

Zip-Line!

sisters.

This is the reality....love her. :)

We went through the dark maze, slide down a slide, jumped on a giant "pillow" (see video) and ate caramel apples and apple-cider doughnuts. I know we all had fun because the girls were falling asleep in the car on the way home. :)

Jason and I got to take care of our sweet little niece, Cayden, for a few hours this last week as well.  It has been so much fun getting to watch her grow up and to see her little personality come out.  Uncle Jason had a lot of fun making her laugh.  I think she has diffidently stolen part of both of our hearts.

Gotta love your aunt and uncle. :)

Loving spending time with each other.

Sweet little sleepy eyes. :)

CAUSE Winter Retreat 2011

One-Purpose: God's Glory

That statement was the teaching point of the middle school winter retreat this last weekend at Camp Tapawingo.  It was an amazing weekend filled with laughter, games, staying up late and learning from God's word.  It was refreshing to spend time with so many mid-high girls....I don't remember laughing that much in a long time. :)

 We drove up to the camp Friday afternoon, and got right to having some fun.  We played a Mission Impossible game the first night...where Ashley Higgins and I got a little loopy hiding from the students in the dark by the fire pit...some dancing around the fire was in order. :)  One of our girls, Emily, came bursting out of the bushes at one point and...well the picture of both her legs tells the story better than I could...I do recall "someone" telling her shorts may not be the best choice for night games... :)

Emily's Hurt Legs

Saturday was filled up with teaching times, hiking down to the river and many games of dodge-ball (Ga-Ga ball).  It was so much fun to watch Jason connecting with the guys in his small group.  He had some guys following him around the whole time. :)  I think a couple of them are a little addicted to disc golf now too. :) The conversations and the friendships that were created this weekend were so neat to participate in and watch grow.  God was doing some powerful things through these students.

Me and Sara

Sophie, Ashleigh, Sara and Emily

In the afternoon on Saturday Jason organized a game of human clue where the leaders dressed up as different characters and the students had to figure out who did the crime, where and with what.  It was so much fun!  Jason and I were teachers...a stretch I know ;)  We made the kids do jumping jacks (P.E.) and read (first grade) in order to ask their questions.  Turns out...Jason and I were the criminals! :)

Human Clue: The "Teachers"

JUMP!

 

Savannah and Me

I loved getting to spend time getting to know my girls.  Middle school is such an interesting time in a girls life.  They are struggling to figure out who they really are, and where they fit in.  I am so thankful that God meets each of them exactly where they are, and that He loves them where they are at.  Each of them holds a special place in my heart...I pray that we would all place God as our one purpose...what an amazing weekend!

New JOB!!!

I have a new job!  I was officially hired last week, and today was my third day of teaching at Claggett Creek Middle School in Keizer.  I am so thankful for this opportunity, and although the last week has been crazy busy, and everyday comes with new challenges, I am so thankful.  I am hired at this point up to winter break, with the possibility that the job could be extended to the end of the school year.  Only time will tell, but for right now, I am a TEACHER :).

Here is a picture of the school...if you look to the third story on the top far right side, that is my classroom. :)  I have been working during my prep and before and after-school getting the classroom to feel like my own.  The teacher that was in there left a little over a month ago, so the room was in chaos to say the least.  I was told to box up and remove anything that I wanted, and to think of the room as my own...so I have been, which I love :)  I redid the bulletin boards today (I put some pictures of my classroom below), and plan on organizing some more.  The learning curve has been pretty steep...conferences are in less than two weeks, so I have been attempting to get some grades for the students...it's a lot of work, but it is so comforting to know that I will be there tomorrow, and the day after, and the day after...

Board all about me :)

Room 300

Jason is also getting started on his new journey...this Wednesday he has his interview at Portland State University for the Special Education program.  If he gets in, he will start classes in January, and will complete the program the following summer.  It is a program designed for teachers that are working already to add the endorsement.  When he is done with the program he will only need a few more credit hours to complete his master's.

So excited to get out on the ice!

Serious.

Jason and I have also been busy helping out with the middle school youth group at our church this year.  We are working with students that go to Judson and Walker.  I am diffidently getting my fill of middle school :)  We call the small groups D-Teams ) devotional teams. My D-Team got to go to the pumpkin patch together.  They crack me up, and have such amazing hearts that desire to please and serve.  We also went "Broom-Balling" with the mid-high up in Portland on the ice!  That was a lot of fun...I was shocked that I didn't fall the whole time :)

Not serious.

Judson/Walker D-Team

Cuddle time :)

Needless to say, we are so thankful for where we are, and are looking forward to what is going to come in the future. :)