"I'm nervous she doesn't have friends." Wooded Glen

I got to have a weekend in the middle of the week. It was magical. 

Tuesday Justin and I went to Cheesecake Factory to use a gift card from our friend Emily for a week night date because she said those are the best ones. While we were waiting for a table, we went to Crate & Barrel to see if we wanted to add anything to our registry. We soon discovered that if you go in the store for your registry you get two glasses for free as a congrats!

Wednesday morning I met my friends Abby and Smelko bright and early to drive south to the Wooded Glen for the YL Staff Wide Open Country. As teacher staff for HSE Wyld Life, I was extra excited to be there, around these people who are doing ministry all over Indiana and Kentucky. 

Highs of the Wooded Glen:
1. Roommates with Abby
2. Getting some tangibles about discipleship and committee and caring for leaders that I can't wait to apply to our area
3. Spending time with friends and getting to know new friends like Coco
4. Breaking the script-- elevated experience of TED talks
5. Running in the woods during out break
6. Being around Linda, MaryEllen and babies AT and Amos
7. Sitting next to Smelko and comparing notes

When we got back to Indy on Thursday afternoon, Smoon rolled back into town too. We went to Taco & Burrito place, checked out the new insulation in the house and hung out with Justin. Smoon is on her way to Ohio and I was lucky enough to be her stopping point mid-way. Lucky for us, we get to see each other three weeks in a row.

"I've only ever had Kix at my Grandma's house!" YL Breakfast Club

Thanks to the Twitter poll, this month's YL Club is YL Breakfast Club. 

We set up a whole smorgasbord of cereal as kids and leaders arrived. Everyone was just mingling with bowls of cereal in hand, debating the merits of honey nut cheerios v fruity pebbles. 

We started off the games with a donut relay, passing them from one popsicle stick to the next down the line.

The final person in the row had to eat their team's donut as fast as possible.

Next up was an Eggo Flipping contest. Partner 1 catapulted an Eggo off a spatula, over the crowd, and into their partner's cereal box on the other side of the room.

I was incredibly impressed by how well all three sets of partners worked together.

Last game of the night was more difficult than it looked. 6 brave souls took off their shoes and socks to play some cereal bingo. They had to find and place all the colors of Fruit Loops and all the marshmallow shapes of Lucky Charms on their bingo sheet using only their feet.

Cereal has never had so much fun. It looks like cereal confetti.

Tonight's Club Talk was one we won't soon forget. Sophomore Sam Kibble shared his testimony tonight and shared his story of how he ended up in-front of this room full of his peers.

"There was something inside of me that kept telling me to go to YL even though I didn’t want to and even though it wasn’t for me.

I finally came and Johnna was sharing about Jesus and Sarah hugged me and JD made feel welcome. They loved me. They made me feel loved. But for awhile I still didn’t go back. My brother Max and his girlfriend Elyse kept telling me to go with them but I would stay home by myself.

My mom signed me up for camp. I went. It wasn’t fun— I just clung to my leader JD and didn’t know what to do. My friends had such a negative impression of me at first because I didn’t want to be there.

But I saw that there was a correlation between all these people who were having fun and reading their bibles— they loved Jesus. They were happy. But I was in a dark place.

I remember one afternoon everyone else went to play Gaga ball and I was left all alone. So I sat in Cam's eno and read the Bible for the first time. And I didn’t get it. But Olivia walked up and asked me if I knew anything about the Holy Spirit, and you know she’s adorable, so I made up a lot of stuff. But it turns out that it was all right. It was crazy.

One night after Club we had 15 minutes. I went to the rocks right between where the creek goes into the lake. I skipped rocks like my grandpa taught me to do. It was fresh in my heart. It didn’t make sense why we lost him. I was so mad. I raged. I kept slapping the water and it was so hot that it hurt my hand. I did it over and over again and it was hotter every time.

In cabin time I told JD about what happened during my 15 minutes and he told me a verse about being hot and cold instead of lukewarm. It was crazy. And I started to believe. I started to hold onto it.

Once we went home, I kept coming back to YL. I loved the Torch guys. I met with JD. I read my Bible. I grew. Everything that led me to God happened for a reason.

And all of you are coming here for a reason. When you have something pushing you to grow, that’s on purpose. I didn’t understand why God wasn’t giving me happiness or a girlfriend or good grades or the stuff that matters. But I kept searching and growing.

And at Love Tanks last semester, I took a step back and realized how much has happened and how much I love these people.

You’re meant to be here— not at YL— here in the grace of God. When you’re ready, God will come and embrace you and love you. I was lost and I have been found."

"Then I tried working at Jimmy John's but I got caught cheating on the sandwich test. So I didn't get hired." the bachelorette home team

This weekend one of my dreams came true. I got to hang out with all of my very best friends at the very same time. For my bachelorette weekend all I wanted was some quality time with these people and every single one of them showed up. The party started Friday night at an Airbnb in Indy-- not until I arrived did it sink in that all of these people would be there together. 

Sarah Battaglia-- I'm so thankful that the timing worked out for us to have just enough time to meet, get over our first impressions and become the best of friends before you moved away to Illinois. I'm thankful that we're both good at long distance friendships. I'm thankful that you're the kind of friend who is always so easy to be with, who gets what really matters in life and who cares about having conversations that matter. 

Ellyn-- We officially met in 2009 when you were a CILT and you came to YL with me the whole next year when I moved to Indy. But the greatest chapters of the story of our friendship are the past 5 years we spent together in Choctaw cabin with the CILTs. You are one of my greatest partners in crime and have taught me so much about accepting yourself and others, selflessly loving people (like volunteering to move all of their stuff to another cabin multiple summers in a row) and embracing every moment as an opportunity for laughter. 

 Arie-- You are in so many frames of my childhood and understand what it was like growing up as a camp kid better than anyone else-- climbing under the Trading Post, making a profit in the Camp Cookie Co and showing up to every chapel all summer long. I'm so thankful that we've stayed in each other's lives even as we've moved away and changed and grown and become different people.

Katie Dekoster-- I'm so lucky that my sister has become one of my best friends. I love that we can still end up laughing till we cry like we did when we were little and that you're still the best sounding board for advice or support about anything. Thank you for making this weekend happen and wanting to know and love my friends because you know they're important to me. I admire the friend and wife and mother you've become and am so glad I still get to follow in your footsteps.

Smooney-- You get me. I get you. We were meant to be friends. Sometimes I feel like we share the same brain (which makes sense since we have almost identical ESFJ-A numbers) and working with you is effortless. Someday we'll run the Amazing Race together and dominate the whole dang thing with problem solving, positivity and being efficient. Thank you for showing up, listening, caring and being one of my best friends despite the distance.

Kayla-- I'm so glad that you joined the Tecumseh fam when you did and that you're intentional about becoming friends with everyone you can. I have loved having you as my friend during this whole season of life and am thankful for your creativity, passion and generosity. You live life big and invite everyone within earshot to join the party.

Smelko-- Little did I know for most of my life that I was missing out on having you as my friend. Thank goodness we're on each other's teams now. You're the queen of so many things-- boomerangs and coffee and Wilderness and Spotify playlists of course, but more importantly of being intentional with your time and your words and anticipating how you can love your people best. I've got so much respect for who you are and how you're living your life.

Hannah- You are something special. I could sit and talk with you forever and I'm confident that you could become best friends with anyone. You're someone who values friends of different ages and different seasons of life. At moments I've been your YL leader but in so many other moments and conversations you've spoken wisdom and encouragement into my story.

Lizzie-- I still remember the moment last summer when you said, "Sarah, when you have a bachelorette party this year," and I wasn't even engaged yet, "can I come if I fly in from Colorado?" You never want to miss a moment with your friends and and want to have a front row seat to every big event. Thank you for showing up and loving me and wanting to spend the whole weekend with my people and driving to camp and seeing my future house and the reception venue and meeting YL girls and just everything. I love you and your heart and your Liz-ness.

Emily Glanders-- We've been friends for over a decade and I have no doubt that this is still just the start. I love that our friendship always picks up where we left off last and that we both make sure we get a spot on the calendar. You're optimistic and patient and honest and fun-loving. You make everything more fun and instantly make people feel like they can be your best friend. 

KCraig-- I never have enough time with you. Whether you were sitting in my classroom during your prep, we were running Wyld Life as side-kicks or we're squeezing in friend dates whenever our calendars allow, I just want always want more KCraig in my life. You're a whirlwind of life, dance moves, bold honesty, belly laughter, gracious truth and fun. We've been together on the peaks and in the valleys and I love you with my whole heart. Can't wait to be friends forever. 

Johnna-- When we first met I had such a friend crush on you. Lucky for me, a year later that friendship got to happen and it's been a brilliant addition to my life. Thank you for calling me your friend and pulling me into your family and telling me to show up whenever I want. You accept me, and everyone else, exactly as I am and take on the role of cheerleader in our lives. Thank you for all the ways you've shown up, listened and loved in this season of life.

I've got the greatest home team of friends. I love you people.

"Secrets are for ferrets." National FBC Day 2018

Every Spring one of my favorite holidays rolls back around-- NATIONAL FBC DAY! This tradition began back in 2010 and we've been celebrating every year since. 

We've always had a photo contest for the most creative FBC related posts of the day and I'm always impressed with the creativity that ensues.

This National FBC Day is also the grand finale to FBC this school year so it was a little bittersweet. We did Love Tanks FBC style. 

Alumni FBC-ers Meric and Sophie donated old FBC shirts to girls-- which was incredible. The 5 winners of all of our games today got to pick their favorite vintage FBC apparel to take home. 

We took pictures outside...

Signed this year's sign which will go up on the wall of my classroom with all the other National FBC Day signs...

When I remember FBC this year I'll think of backpack relays, sharing Goldfish and peanut butter crackers, VFBC tshirts and bright blue longsleeves, best friend necklaces, sharing highs and lows in a circle, visits from HS girls like Elise, Sophie, Maddie and Cass, the Sofia and Rachel duo, giggling 7th grade girls, Ellie never missing a week, Molly's enthusiasm, dozens of bracelets, 200 paperclips and just the most fun. 

The winner of this year's picture contest blew me away...

I'm still dying. Hilarious. Brynn and Kaylin this is fantastic.

Justin and I went back through our house to take video and photos before the drywall starts going up next week. This way we can see where all the studs and outlets and everything else is before it's hidden behind the walls. It's looking like a house right?