oh so many things, i'm going to have to number them.

1. WILL AND HANNAH!  Yesterday we witnessed and celebrated the marriage of our good friends will and hannah. This was one of those things that we were all talking about before they actually started dating and that made it SO much fun to be a part of their wedding yesterday.  they are one couple that justin and i have had the privilege of getting to know individually over the past 3 years and now as a couple over the past 11 months. it has been SO fun. their wedding was beautiful, as was hannah. seriously, she was such a classic (and classy) bride. plus my husband was wearing tails and a white bow tie. hott.  i'll have to get my hands on a picture or two . . .

2. the retreat is over! and i would do it all over again.  from what we've heard the students loved it and somehow learned something about "authentic Christianity" which was our speakers theme for the weekend.  it was also my last winter retreat with my small group (sniff sniff) who are graduating this may.  that part was very bittersweet. i am so proud of them and who they have become over the past 3 years but it is so hard to think about them leaving for college. 

3. the sickness. justin's had some sort of serious cold complete with fever and chills and i've just had enough of it to get annoyed.  he's a good patient. i'm just done with all the sickness. 

4.  now that the retreat is over we have to figure out what to do with our lives. feel free to submit suggestions in the comment box.

just so you know. . .

well, in 3 hours i get on a bus with 50 teenagers and take the long and winding road to Pisgah, alabama!!! it's our annual winter retreat and i am SO excited.  We've got over 100 students and 30 leaders spending MLK weekend at the beautiful Camp Toknowhim (yes, that's the real name).  this is my 6th winter retreat at toknowhim and my, like 13th winter retreat. i'm pretty much a pro. i know all the secrets to make life with so many teenagers in the middle of the woods a little more comfortable. like, take your own real coffee mug so you don't have to use styrofoam, don't let anyone touch your sleeping bad, take your headlamp and have a good bedtime playlist on your ipod.  still - i always get a little bit nervous/excited even though i really have done this for so long.  maybe its because every trip is different or because i just want to make sure that everyone is comfortable or that everything goes well so that i look good. 

i thought that in honor of my activites this weekend i would make a list of my top 10 favorite winter/fall retreat moments:

10.  the great spheggetti fight of '08. i will never be asked to help clean the kitchen after dinner again.

9.  peanut butter jelly time skit of '07.

8. my secret romance on the retreat of '07.

7. southwood's battle of the dough in '06

6.  rubber stamp carving with robin. i think in '05

5. the complete honesty and encouragement of students in '05

4.  the great conquering of the forest in '05

3.  the victory lap after emily and sara's sports spectacular in '07.

2.  the west virginia ski debaucle of '04.  all of it.

1.  kelley's leap of death in '03.  the 'its better in the bahamas' shirt is what really pushed this to number 1.  

and there it is. see how much fun it is to be a youth leader? hopefully after monday i'll have a few more to add. until then, all your prayers are appreciated.  peace!

if i were a hollywood person

i forgot to mention one other thing that i'm reading right now.  its a book that was recommended to me by a coworker and i found in the children's section. it's called 'the graveyard book' by neil gaiman and it is illustrated.  but it's also over a hundred pages long and so i count it as a real novel.  it's REALLY good and i would highly recommend it.  also, as i've read i've been thinking about the movie that they could make from it. not purposefully, it just kind of came up in my head as i was listening to a passenger song called 'four horses' and it just fit the book so perfectly.  you know, the general feeling of the song fit the general feeling of the book. so if i made movies, i would put the two together.  so if you do decide to read the book you should probably also download the passenger cd and listen to it while you read - or at least listen to the four horses song.  more to come on the graveyard book as i continue reading.  

so this is the new year . . .

i'm not really one for new years resolutions, but, in the words of traci taylor "i am into looking at the big picture in the year ahead." and somehow, that makes me feel a lot less cliche.  i think that i just like feeling like its a clean slate.  you know what i'm putting on this clean slate? books. and new music and really good old music. and being more passionate about people and ministry.  and keeping you all updated on things that i'm into that you might get into as well. here's what i've got so far:

- "listening" by anne long.  its a really good book (so far) about listening to ourselves, the Lord, and others.  i've actually owned it for over a year but my husband gave a GREAT talk this past wednesday night that reminded me that i'm called to have relationships that go below the surface.  i think that learning how to listen (which i am definitely not good at) is a pretty good start. i'll keep you updated

-season 1 of the O.C.   yes, i like to be about 8-10 years behind on popular t.v. shows.  i'm finishing the first episdoe right now and i have to admit that i'm intrigued.  also - marisa and summer weren't always as deathly ill looking as they ended up being. 

-passenger's cd "wicked man's rest".  i haven't listened to too much, but what i have heard i really like. i think they might be british. 

more to come . . .