Side Spliting Laughter

This weekend was our church's ladies reatreat. We went up into the hills above Santa Cruz to this camp for the weekend. Seriously - I haven't laughed so much or so hard in a long time! It was such a blast! We had 8 girls in our cabin - we were prety much the young loud cabin! I missed Eli and Will, but it was so fun not to have responsiblity and be able to do whatever I wanted! We got there Friday and enjoyed our evening with all the ladies - worshiping and getting some great
teaching. After that we played Dutch Blitz with 8 of us! (Two decks!) It was super funl They were smart and had loud room (late night talkers) and quiet rooms, but unfortunately, the walls were thin so no matter how they situated it, we were loud above the quiet ones. The ladies below us were wondering what in the world we were doing with all the loud stamping on the floors, the laughter, and name calling! :) My friend Liz had some creative names she came up with when we were faster than her! Oh man - it was so funny.


Saturday we had the afternoon free and they had a ropes course that ended in a 265 Ft. zip line! We went and had a challenging good time! I've done that a couple times before, but I still freaked out on one part of the course - starting tearing and almost bawling my eyes out! (Will has made fun of me several times over now!) But I think it was a spiritual thing. It was about trust and letting go and God was really working in paralells for me! As soon as I took that first step out onto the log away from the tree I was fine the rest of the time, but man it took about 5 minuates to take that step! The zip line was great! I screamed so loud, but it was so fun! I think I have a bruise from the attracktive harness you wear while up there! I also learned to clog dance! Our theme was celtic christianity and one of the ladies at my church clogs and taught us a brief dance - it was my cardio for the day - let me tell you! I learned that clog is a irish word for time, so clogging is just keeping time with the music - some very fast music! But I'm glad I learned - it was super fun and another time of good laughter!

The camp also had this huge slide - it was a water slide without water that you go down on burlap sacks! I keep saying fun - but I can't think of another word - it was SUPER Fun!!! We broke the rules (opps!), and went down in a train, it was crazy - and fun!


Anyway - we also made up this game called bockey. It's hockey with balloons. I seriously think I bruised my ribs laughing so hard. The video below is of me and Bethany playing against each other. At one point she is trying to hit the ballon from between my legs and keeps hitting my butt - this is when I collapse on the floor laughing and Bethany wins! Oh well, it was seriously the funnest game ever - too bad our balloon stick popped before we could get the most enjoyment from it! :)



Anyway - a good weekend overall - with fun and girlfriends and God speaking so much and doing so much in us all. I'm very thankful that I was able to go - and VERY thankful for my wonderful man to stay home with Eli for 2 nights and let me get away!

Joy

Here's some pictures of our joy - Eli. These are from the 1st of September. Will bought him the camo cap at old navy - it's super cute!





The memorial service was today for our friend Zac. It was really beautiful. A celebration of the life that he lived. He made a serious impact on a lot of people, and inspite of the sorrow we feel at the loss, there is a definate sense of fullness - he did a lot with the 28 years he had. He touched so many, and I know that everyone around him is left with many happy and meaningful memories.

There were a lot of babies at the service too. There is something sweet about new life being around during times of loss. It really helps put things into place. For every season you know? A time to live and a time to die.

I'm just very thankful this evening. I'm thankful for my family, for my husband, for my son. I'm thankful for life, for the time we are given and for the things God allows us to do. We are blessed. And to think that this is not the end, death is not the end for us and how beautiful is that!

Being with Jesus for eternity is what we have to look forward to. And that is a whole other blog.

Death

A distant friend's husband died on Friday. Death really puts things into perspective. All I could think was that she could be me. Zac was only 28. 28. It was a motorcycle accedent, really a tragidy.

We took Holen with us to Mississippi two years ago. That's when we became friends. Of course, over the last 2 years we haven't really hung out much - life gets busy, and we live on opposite sides of the county - it's sad really. But we would see them every so often at church or game night, and we did super bowl together a few years back. But I really like her. She's quirky, and I like that a lot. Her and Zac had been married 2 years then - they were learning communication stuff (a life long lesson) - we had some really good talks. She is a really hard worker - but she's quiet and I think was taking awhile to adjust to moving to the central coast.

Zac was from here. He went to high school with me - a year or two older. I didn't really know him well, but my friends did. I remember when I was pregnant - he was so funny about it! We saw them at church and he was going on and on about how he couldn't believe there was another human growing inside me - he loved to hear about how wierd it was. It's a really fond memory.

So 2 years ago Holen and I were in Mississippi - and now she is a widow. And it makes me think... What if I'm a widow in 2 years? It could happen. We're all the same, we all break the same, we all breath the same, we're all dust... It makes me see how important today is. We always hear that right - it's in the Bible. Don't worry about tomorrow, today has enough trouble, don't plan for tomorrow, you don't know if you have one... But I get it this weekend. I see how close death really is. We really don't know what tomorrow holds. Holen didn't know that those were their last moments - their last dinner, their last kiss.

The sad part of my revalation, is that I know it's temporary. I will live in this aware state for a little while - but it will fade. I will all too easily slip back into my complacent life, not thinking about making the most of every oportunity because it may be my last chance. My last chance to do it, or my last chance with someone else. But it's a good temporary revelation - I'm trying to make it a lifestyle while I can so it will last.

As for Holen, I haven't talked to her yet. I tried calling, but I had to leave a message. My heart is breaking for her though - everytime I think of her, I think that it could be me, and it hits close to home. I ache for her, I can only imagine what it is like to actually walk through - I pray I won't have to. I pray for her all day long - for peace, for comfort, for people to surround her and lift her up. For the strength to take it one day at a time. Death is so hard for those of us left behind - even when we know they left to be with the Lord, we are still left with emptiness and knowing we won't see them on this earth again, and that is really hard and really sad. I can't help but cry everytime I think about her - about Zac's family.

Death really sucks.