"So you get this loaf of banana bread my mom made, and some chocolate chip banana bread, and these Craisins!"

When I woke up this morning the first thing on my to-do list was to climb this building.

Seriously.

The event is called Bop To The Top-- you climb 36 flights of stairs, 806 total steps. I ran with Team Luke because of one of my old students. Her little brother is Luke, eight-years-old and already a cancer survivor. 100 people joined Team Luke this year in blue tye-dye to go up together.

It was so fun to get to do this with my students--current 8th graders and my first group of students that are now Freshmen. They never lose energy and are such a picture of overwhelming joy. Later when all I wanted to do was sit down, Rachel was still jumping around and Grace was dancing HS Musical style and I said, "Girls how in the world do you have this much energy?" Rachel continued jumping as she told me, "Oh Miss Wright you've just got to reach down into your soul and pull it out!"

When you climb the building you start twenty seconds apart and then run or walk up the stairs. At about floor seven Rachel and I were already tired. But we kept climbing stair after stair and flight after flight. It was so much harder than I expected it to be but we finished in about ten minutes.

All of the kids were rockstars and did so well. Luke climbed up and a handful of other kids his age. I'm so glad I got to be a part of something so incredible this morning. After the event all of Team Luke went across the street to Le Peep to recharge with omelets and crepes.

I got to spend a few more hours with Alli before her parents returned today. She finished her craft. Don't you love it? She is so good at continually choosing joy.

I already loved Alli before this week but am now  even more thankful that she is a part of my life. What her siblings might call being bossy, I see as nurturing and caring--she really loves Michael and Emily so much. Alli is consistent and dependable and one of those people that will always have your back. She loves to have fun and adventures and do things out of the ordinary her excitement just isn't as over the top as other people. Alli has a heart for Christ and she thinks about how she is living out her faith everyday. This week was such a gift.

Tonight I got to go hang out with Rachel and Emily on the blue coaches. In true girls' night fashion we ordered pizza and watched old episodes of One Tree Hill. In camp counselor style we sang the chapel and slow campfire songs we missed and discussed all the possible people to fill jobs next summer at camp. These girls are the best and I don't want to ever take it for granted that they're so close these days.