welcome to the main event

Sometimes I think that this thing we do here called Young Life camping isn't really so different from a circus.  Life is never dull or boring here @ Malibu.  We have a rhythm and routine to things, but compared to the average bear's work environment, Malibu is quite abnormal.

The following are things that are part of a normal work week for me:

• Throw and direct anywhere from 10,000-30,000 lbs. of freight and luggage every 6 days.  And by "throw" I do mean throw.
• Catch kids @ the bottom of the water slide @ the end of our obstacle course to keep kids safe and things moving along (sometimes I catch a foot to the shin and last week I got kicked in the neck).
• Get creative for intern fun night-a few weeks ago we had a floating bonfire in the middle of the inlet and made s'mores while sitting in kayaks
• Play silent floor hockey from 11pm to 1am every night 4.
• Put on a carnival, dance party and pool party all in the course of about an hour and a half.
• Get a "ride" home from bible study in a ski boat @ twilight.

We often say to each other how much we love our jobs and how we can't believe that this is where we get to work and what we get to do.   I am blessed by this place and what we get to do in serving kids and their YL leaders, but what I have been caught up with lately is how blessed I am by the people I get to work with.  Last week on my day off, I was moved to tears as I thanked our God for the people in my life and specifically who I work with here.

I am beyond grateful for the interns in my department-for the stellar work that they do in their roles and also for their hearts and character.   Assignment team, leaders, other staff and interns here have all been huge blessings to me as of late.  This week we have a fantastic medical team with their families who have been a joyful blessing to me.

God is so good.  This place is incredible, and the hearts he has given his people bless me greatly.  We might run a circus around here, but it's lovely and is affecting eternity.

osm

When you are 5 years old and learning to spell and you write a note to your mom telling her how great you think she is, you might spell awesome like this: osm.

And we do, and likely will forever.  The Friesen family is as near and dear to me as my own blood relatives.  I met them at church almost 9 years ago and babysat for them all through my college years and even beyond.  Their oldest, Samantha, is the creator of osm.  It was her note to Shelby that revealed this brilliant and clear spelling of awesome.  This word has caught on to friends and has even been the catch phrase of a Young Life program team.  I encourage you to embrace and use this treasure of a word.

Speaking of osm, I saw this for the first time last night @ Men's Weekend Entertainment Night and it is entirely osm!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ssXJtzFOjA

marking time & other musings

Here @ Malibu we mark time in a manner that is much different than the rest of the world.  Here the days have no names, just numbers.  If you stopped me suddenly on the boardwalk and demanded to know the day of the week, there is a 40% chance I would be able to answer you correctly.  I will know that it is Day 2 or 4 or that it is boat day, but there is a very small chance that I will know the actual day of the week.  Friends and family members' birthdays and anniversaries fly by without me realizing it (please forgive me if I miss yours).  It's different, it's crazy and it's also lovely.

Most days feel like 2 days in 1.  Tomorrow is quite literally 2 days in 1.  It's day 7/1.  The Princess will arrive around 1:30pm with our new group of campers.  Meanwhile, our outgoing camp will line the boardwalk waiting to board the Princess after the new camp disembarks.  For a brief 30 minute period we have 2 camps (roughly 600-700) kids in camp at once.  The average day 7/1 is a 15-18 hour work day for me.

It's a very good thing that the day before day 7/1 is day 6 and my day off.   Emma, one of our interns, shares my day off with me.  She stayed @ my house last night, so this morning we slept in, drank coffee, ate granola and peaches and watched Gilmore Girls until it was time to head into camp for lunch.  The rest of my day off, as usual, was spent cleaning, doing laundry and trying to sneak in some quality time with friends who are here for the week as leaders.

for your enjoyment

I was deleting photos from my phone when I came across these gems taken in an elementary school hallway outside a 2nd grade classroom this fall.  Enjoy!

 

1). is chocolate :)

 

excellent career choice

 

 

 

a Canadian cheerleader :)

my other favorite place

12 years ago this fall, I moved to Bellingham to attend college @ WWU.  I remember someone telling me before I left Olympia that I would love Bellingham and never want to leave. I was quite skeptical and little did I know that 12 years later I would still be here and that it would be one of my favorite places on earth.

Bellingham is a little bit scrappy, a lot bit organic, incredibly beautiful and very laid back.  I will miss hiking with friends, fire pit and foilies @ the Wiley Ranch (aka my home), spontaneous kayak trips, driving with the windows down, popsicles and flip flops, Ski to Sea festivities, my church family and so much more.

But if you know me @ all, you know that Malibu is my favorite place.  Living half of the year in the Canadian wilderess @ Malibu is exciting and lovely.  However, I will miss many things about my beloved Bellingham while I am away this summer and early fall.

Sunsets over Bellingham Bay

Thai food

Saturday Farmer's Market

The Friesens.  My Bellingham family.

The Wileys.  The greatest friends and neighbors a girl could ever ask for.

30 before 30

A while back some girlfriends in Bellingham all started lists of 30 things they want to do before they turn 30.  So I jumped in on this fun creating a list of things that I would like to do or try before I turn 30 on October 12, 2012.  I've got some time, but I still have a bit of work to do.

I have highlighted the things that I have completed.  If you want to join in any of my incomplete items, please let me know :)

1. Make homemade chicken stock
2. Visit  Lummi Island
3. Make something I see on Pinterest
4. Get a hot stone massage
5. Go fishing
6. Visit Alaska
7. Learn to snowboard or ski
8. Invest in a nice pair of jeans
9. See the Lion King on the stage
10. Leave North America again
11. Watch Little Women
12. Get a facial
13. Go to the Grand Canyon
14. Get my boating license
15. Tour Theo Chocolate in Seattle
16. Play Frisbee Golf @ a YL Camp
17. Own a pair of TOMS
18. Get foot tattoo
19. Learn to tie a tie
20. Go to a sold out concert
21. Watch Ann of Green Gables
22.  Ride a horse
23.  Go to a movie by myself
24.  Hike up to the Oyster Dome
25.  Learn to change my oil
26. Learn to sail on a sailboat
27. Go to the top of the Space Needle
28. Send a postcard into PostSecret
29. Go to Voodoo Doughnuts
30. Go to the Today Show

it's the small things

I am very much a details girl.  In clothing, I find great delight in detailed stitching, seaming or design.  In food, it's presentation, flavor infusions and garnishes that catch my attention.  I like the big picture too, but I find that I love to focus on the details of the big picture, arrange and coordinate them to create a functional bigger picture.

I left camp on Thursday for a last trip to Bellingham to gather the last of my belongings.  Taking advantage of my time here, I was able to squeeze in a haircut (that's another post of it's own-I LOVE getting my hair cut!), errands, time with friends and hopefully a manicure and pedicure.

While at Trader Joe's, I discovered goat's milk gouda cheese.  I have a dairy and gluten allergy, so enjoying snacks like cheese and crackers has not happened for me for the last 5 years.  This afternoon I am working on my computer, listening to lovely music, thankful for a super cute haircut and LOVING me some goat gouda.

It's the small things that make me happy.  I am thankful.