The weekend that I got to MOVE with a load of teenagers....

Wow... what an exciting, busy, fun-filled weekend.

It was Merge Camp time.  The time where we head to camp with our middle/senior high kids & just get away from everything for a few days & connect with each other & more importantly with God.

For Ricky & I, it was a little different then it was last year. 

Our vet totally got it wrong & counted Sydney out by April... well, here she still is (Thank you Lord) but that also means she needs her medicine & attention to take care of her.  So we weren't able to do the full weekend at Merge Camp.

The kids got up on Friday ... & Ricky & I ended up staying home.  I'm glad we did, for Sydney's sake, plus, for Ricky's.  He works so hard & he comes home exhausted after a week of work.  He was able to get to bed early on Friday & rest up for the full weekend.

We headed out of our home at 6:30 to get up there by 7:30 & got there right as the kids were waking up on Saturday.  It was perfect. 

& the day was perfect.  The weather was cooperative - not horrible, thunder was happening, but we never got any rain.

Ricky started off the day playing foosball in the cafeteria area with the kids.  They were all wanting to take him down. I kept trying to tell them it was impossible.  They love a challenge because they would line up to play him. 

I actually had the morning devotional after breakfast while we went on our hike.  I said I could get used to teaching every time in places like this. 

I'm probably going to blog about my devotional later on here.  It worked perfectly with our theme for the weekend which was MOVE ... are you moving towards God? What does it look like to MOVE?  What changes happen when you MOVE?  ... good stuff...

MOVE is exactly what we did this weekend too.  There was swimming, canoeing, kayaking, hanging out time.  Ricky had bought about 25 water guns & we had a water gun fight too.  It was so much fun... & perfect for a hot day.

I loved it because the kids were yelling they wanted Ricky & the other men leaders on their side.  No one wanted me.  #rejected  ... I had flashbacks of being picked last for kickball.  So I was put with the middle school kids since I teach them.  Well, BAM, SMACK. BANG!  Our middle school gang ended up winning 3-2 in this game we made up on capturing the other sides flag.  I know I should be a gracious winner, but I was like, "Who didn't want me?... BAM!".... it's all good fun.  Especially when I shot all the high school peeps in the face with my water gun.  Literally, "IN YO' FACE" moment :)

WE.ARE.THE.CHAMPIONS!!!!!

I ended up leaving about 5:00 so I could get home to Sydney.  Usually Ricky would be the one to come & take care of her, but I really needed to work on pictures, so Ricky stayed the night in the teepees... yes, they stayed in teepees.  Last year was covered wagons.  I came home. 

The drive is long, but putting on some worship & being thankful for the weekend, it felt like a quick drive.

I think I drove Ricky nuts by texting him pictures of Sydney & telling him I missed him.  I really did hate being at home without him & having to go to sleep without him here.  #loveandmarriage

Sunday morning, I woke up again at 5:30 & headed back out to camp.  Our youth pastor had to leave to go to church so I made sure I was back at camp to wake up the kids, especially because Ricky is fantastic with the kids, but he's not a loud voice... I am a loud voice.  Also, we had a new youth leader that joined us for the first time.  It was his first time at Merge Camp as well & I didn't want to put the pressure on him to do everything on his own.

The morning flew by.  We had breakfast, then we had our next devotion... which I loved because I had the girls & it was time for it to end, & I had 4 girls with their hands still raised wanting to talk about what they found in the Bible.... Oh, my heart with these kids.  We can sit & talk about how stupid boys are, how irritating brothers are, & can flip the conversation about how its hard to feel God near all the time & how God moved with Abraham when Abraham moved in faith himself.

The amazing Merge Camp ladies

We headed over to the last event of the weekend... zip lining.  All the kids harnessed up.  I was going to be the only one who wasn't doing it?  Can't let that happen.  Now, I didn't WANT to do it, but I couldn't be the 'old woman' of the group (which I still am) & not do it.  So I strap in...

How I felt strapping in the harness & thinking of flying over the ground 4 stories up

I think the worst part was walking up the 4 story little wobbling wood ramp.  That thing scared me to death.  & then you have to step to the edge of the platform.  Really?  Ricky said he could tell I was nervous because I wouldn't shut up talking.  I'm a nervous talker. 

But I sat back, did as they said & raised my feet & sailed right down the line...

it was great.

The best part was having the kids give me high fives & encourage me about doing it. 

I just love those kids.

The day was quickly coming to a close & there was one more water gun fight as we waited for the wagons to come get us....

We made it... survived another Merge Camp.

We stopped for lunch on the way home & then Ricky wanted to get home to Sydney & I had to get back to working on pictures...

but it was nice to spend some time in the Bible... & even nicer to build on relationships with incredible kids....

A pretty fantastic weekend.....

What did you do this weekend?