I'm Baaa-aack

What a long, emotional rollar coaster kind of week last week was!� Beautiful area, primary industries being farming and fishing.� Tons of fields, very few businesses....I mean VERY few.� We're talking drive 12 miles to come to a little place called "Chris' Grocery" which was like a convenience store.�



But wonderful Southern people and southern hospitality is alive and well.� The week was tough as always; long days and short nights and extreme heat at the beginning of the week which finally gave way to some much needed rain and cooler temperatures.� My group (me and two of my girls combined with other church groups) helped to run an Outrageous Sports Camp for the teens in the area so I actually played some basketball and a lot of Four Square.� It was kind of groundbreaking for me.� The second two days my group worked on some odd jobs at a church run by a delightful little man named "Preacher Charlie".� We finished some chairs and scraped paint off a door and several other jobs over the course of two days.�



We did not bond well with the other churches this year for some reason, other than with one adult leader named Len.� Lots of weird people there, but I always love spending time with our group over the course of several days.� My heart aches at the thought of how quickly these kids are growing up.� Technically, three of them have already aged out of youth group but they stay because of the bonds with the remaining kids.� But three of my girls graduate in a year and that is the whole original youth group when I took over.� It leaves us with my son and one other boy so far unless the church grows and we find more kids and even then, it will not be the same.� There has been magic with these kids and a group like this is not replaceable.�� Makes my heart hurt.



Did not get any runs in during last week; far too tired to get up any earlier than 6:00, which was morning shower time for the leaders.� There was a group of about 5 runners who got up each morning but they were pretty advanced and not all that friendly, so I elected not.� Thankfully the sports camp gave me some exercise and today I got my butt back to the gym.



Tomorrow my butt goes back to work and then in three weeks we are off for California!