Young Lives Week

Last week was Young Lives week. We had about 150 teenage moms and their children. It was a very different week of camp. We did a lot of fun activities with them. I got to do some things to help out too. One day was spa day. The moms got to go to different stations for some pampering. I was at the pedicure station. Each mom got to have a 20 - 30 minute pedicure. We soaked and washed their feet, filed, buffed their toe nails, massaged lotion into their feet and ankles and did a coat of polish. I enjoyed being a part of that. As I worked on the girls feet we visited. I got to hear about their lives and learned a little about what it is like to be a teen mom. I know that these girls left camp feeling that they had been treated well. I know that many of the moms were very touched by the talks and program. The summer staff did a drama that was very touching. Many of the girls said that they related to the drama. If you have a few minutes you may want to watch it. Here is where you will find it at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfkZo1awaWo

Here are a few pictures:

All the high chairs for the week

two cute little babies

the carnival

Life at camp

I haven't blogged for a while because I have been too tired to sit down and think about what to write and I have been spending most of my free time visiting with all the families that we live with here this month. Our community is really great here. I have enjoyed getting to know all the other families that do Young Life like us. It is so interesting to hear their stories and what Young Life is like for them where they lead. Here is a little summary about some of my new friends. The majority of us are from Albuquerque or Phoenix. One family from Fresno that isn't on Young Life staff volunteers their vacation time from work to work up here for the month. One family here has been working in Germany the last four years or so and they are going back next month. Another family lives here in Williams and works at the camp year round. It really is an amazing team of people working together to see that kids have the best week of their lives. It is sooo amazing to see each week how lives are changed and see high school kids from all walks of life turn their lives to Jesus!!

I'll give you an update soon on how our week with the teen mom's went. It was an amazing week of camp so I will try to update you soon.

Please keep us in your prayers. Please pray for energy and endurance during this third week of camp. Please pray for continued health. So far there really haven't been any major sicknesses here.

A Stormy Day

Today is A Stormy Day. This afternoon it has been pouring buckets. We have also had thunder and lightening. It is the kind of day that you want to curl up by a fireplace and read a good book. I haven't done that but we have been inside all afternoon. I don't mind it but it is a bummer for all the campers who were excited to do all the activities.

My kids have been on stimulation overload this past week and a half. It finally caught up to them and they are all trying to get caught up on their sleep. Today Cade slept until 10:00 a.m. Right now Brady is having a 3 hour nap. Bryce never gets too sleepy. He wakes up happy and ready to go. Scott took him on a outing today to town to get a milkshake, his favorite. Yesterday Scott had buddy time with Cade. They played 36 holes of frisbee golf.

Today I got some stormy news about Grandma Kay. She is in the hospital and is very sick. Please keep her in your prayers. Jenny said she would keep me updated when she hears any news on how she is doing.

I don't have any new pictures to post today. I'll post some next time I take any. Camp is going well. We had a situation yesterday with a busload of campers that had to be quarantined until this morning because a leader on the bus showed up sick and throwing up. We sent her to the hospital and found out that she didn't have anything. Thankfully we were able to let the quarantined campers out this morning. Please pray that none of them get sick or any of the others around camp. It was a bad situation for a while. I felt so sad for all the campers and leaders that possibly had to be sent home. They had traveled here from Illinois, Tennessee and Texas. Remember that all the campers are teen moms and their babies, so they were tired from all the travel and not happy about having to stay in the gym all afternoon/evening.

Lost Canyon

Sometimes at camp I don't feel like I am a part of the work that goes on because I am busy with my own kids. Yesterday I got a chance to help with the ropes course up in the trees. They needed extra help with the Capernum kids (the group of disabled campers). It was so neat to help them get to experience camp like all the others kids. Some of the kids that are wheelchair bound got to be hoisted up into the trees and go through the air like everyone else. Here is a picture of me with one of the Capernum kids and his leader going through the course.

Today we are getting ready for a week of Young Lives camp (notice Lives instead of Life). This is a week where all the campers are teen mothers. They bring their babies with them to camp. It will be very interesting to see what this is like, since I haven't ever experienced being at a Young Lives week. There will be about a hundred child care workers that volunteer for the week to watch the children so the teen moms can experience a week of camp and not worry about finding someone to watch their child/children. I am excited to see how the Lord works this week. I am thankful to be a part of this experience.

I am adding some pictures of Lost Canyon so you can see how beautiful this camp is.

This is the dining hall

This is the house we live in with all the assignment team families.

Lost Canyon memories

Our first week of camp has come to an end. The week went very well. Here are a few pictures. We had rocker dress up night the other night.

The first picture is of my boys looking crazy. The next is Bryce and our friend Elijah rocking out.

Brady just woke up cranky from his nap so I have to go now. I'll blog more later.

Love,

Tiff

Cade's Birthday Party

My firstborn turned seven!!!! Here are some pictures from a party we had for Cade. We were going to have a pool party but it got stormy in the afternoon so we moved the party to the house we are all living in. Scott put together a quick obstacle course that all the kids had fun doing. We had cupcakes and as you can see had face painting. I think Cade enjoyed the day.

I can't believe that Cade is already 7. He is growing up so fast. This week I have really noticed that. He is enjoying the freedom that comes with being the oldest child in our family. He has been having so much fun on his own here or with his friends that I barely get to see him.

Lost canyon

This week we began our month at Lost Canyon. We have been waiting all year for this adventure. Our kids love being at camp. It is really the greatest experience any parent could want for their children. I decided to start this blog so that we could have a journal of our memories and share our experience with friends and family.

Scott's assignment for the month will be to guide and disciple the Summer Staff. They are the college age workers that volunteer for the month. There are 43 of them this month and 6 of them are our Young Life leaders from Albuquerque. This first week Scott has been busy from 7:30 a.m. until about midnight each day. We see him at mealtime and around camp a little at all the activities that he is helping with.

We moved into our house that we share with about nine other families last Friday. There are 18 kids from the age of 6 months to 9 years running around here. Cade has already made a best friend named Jon. Cade wants to do everything with Jon. For the most part they have been playing legos, riding scooters or bikes and playing frisbee golf. Cade has also enjoyed going around with daddy to visit the summer staff workers. Bryce has been hanging with Cade and a few other kids that he has gotten to know. He has been riding scooters, riding bikes, playing frisbee golf, picking up trash around camp and playing star wars. Brady pretty much hangs out with me. I have enjoyed all the families that we are here with. It is so wonderful getting to know other families that are Young Life families from all around the country. I love getting to know everyone. I am sure that by the end of the month together we will feel like family.

It is wonderful seeing all the high school kids having such a great time and learning about who Christ is. It is wonderful how everyone works together to make this happen. I love that my kids get to be a part of helping share Jesus even if it is just picking up garbage around the camp. I really want them to see that we are here to serve Jesus and not just to have fun. I know that they are enjoying being with all the kids their age as well as with all the college students that they get to spend time with. Amber spent the afternoon with Cade and Bryce the other day playing frisbee golf and taking them for ice cream. They loved it.

There is a group of campers here that are disabled campers. They call their group high rollers. Many are in wheel chairs or have developmental disablilites. I have enjoyed seeing the joy on their faces as they experience camp. It really does bring tears to your eyes. Last evening we spent an hour hanging out with them in the game room. Cade played ping pong and pool with some of them. It was great.