I passed...

I just got my results from the ESL praxis test and I passed, YAHOO! That test was maybe the most ridiculous test that I have ever had to take but hey its over and I am one step closer to finishing my master's....

I leave for Kids Camp early Monday morning. When I was at my parents house this weekend I found all my old t-shirts from my days as a counselor. It was pretty funny to read what people had written... and I also realized why I will never be able to shake the nickname, "Macho Mandy..."

I am looking forward to camp...it takes so much time and energy to get everything ready but it is worth it because the Lord has always been faithful to show up and do some amazing things during that week in the lives of the campers and the staff.

More after camp!

Updates all around...

Challenge Recap: Challenge was great. I loved getting to experience it with the students from First Free. I am blessed every opportunity I have to be around my junior girls, yes they are mine, I am a tad possessive! :) Starfield is even better in person, I love all three of their cds, but their newest one just might be their best yet. The speakers were amazing. I am currently reading Francis Chan's book "Crazy Love." (check it out, read it and lets talk about it.) It was awesome to be a part of a week where students made some pretty big decisions and commitments in regard to their relationship with the Lord. I walked away with a better understanding of prayer and a clearer picture of what the Lord wants to do with me right where I'm at.

Pictures are worth a 1,000 words so maybe these can do some talking....

Dad's surgery/recovery update: My dad's surgery went well. The doctor said that he had a really big neck, which cracked up me. He is at home, recovering, probably anxious to get back to work. My dad really isn't one to just sit around for too long. Thanks for praying.

School starts in a month...In exactly one month from today, a couple thousand students will once again be walking the halls of Southeast. I am actually looking forward to the start of the school year. There is something very refreshing about starting the school year and not having to worry about coaching.

Kids camp is in a week, lots of work to do but I am really excited to see what the Lord has in store for that week.

I hate hospitals...

I am spending most of the afternoon at the hospital. My dad is having surgery on his neck (they are fusing something together between disk 7 and 8 in his spine.) That's all the medical lingo you are going to get out of this kid.

Really I am just going because I love my dad and I don't want my mom having to sit in that dreadful place by herself while he is in surgery. Honestly I don't know where my dislike for hospitals came from, maybe tomorrow will help me deal with that issue. I am excited though to hang out with my mom because this verbal processor needs to process the past week.

Challenge was amazing. The one thing that I took away was the power of prayer and the opportunity we have to see what the Lord is doing when we are in communication with Him... there are so many other things that I heard that I want/need to talk about while its still fresh. After the verbal processing is done, then comes the part where I make sense of it all and write it down.

Challenge or bust...

The next 7 days are bound to be incredible...

After 22 hours on a bus we will arrive in Salt Lake City for Challenge '08. I am really excited to see what the Lord has in store with these next 7 days, (Shoot, I am even confident that great things are going to happen on the bus ride to and from SLC!) I love going into weeks like this knowing that He's already gone before us, that He will be faithful to show up and ultimately trusting that we will all come back a little bit different... maybe even changed, refreshed, renewed and dare I say challenged.


Its not necessarily wise to go into weeks like this exhausted but that is a pretty good description of my current state. But this exrovert is looking forward to some pretty great times with some pretty great people. There are 50 people from First embarking on this journey together. It is Jeremy's first official day as youth pastor. I am excited to see how this trip is going to jump start relationships with students for Jeremy and Brooke!

For those of you who like specifics... here are some names to be lifting up this week...

My "girls:" Lydia, Victoria, Anna and Cora
The "Roomies:" Sara and Allison

Supposedly there are going to be updates posted on this blog: www.challengeconference.com so if you want to take a peak at what is going on out in SLC there you go!

Starfield is leading worship and I am pumped! (Thank you Amy for introducing them...I will call you if they sing "Over my head!")

With that, I say peace out for a week! I look forward to the pictures that will be taken, the memories that will be made and the friendships that will be deepened and this verbal processor will need to talk about things once I get back!

Niangua River...

Thankfully I do not have pictures from the majority of the Spectacular Spontaneous Summer Solstice! I had an unfortunate run-in with a tree that led to the over-turn of the canoe. It is a pretty hilarious story (with only a few nasty bruises to show for it) but thankfully there is no documented proof of the incident. Had I taken my camera on the canoe, my beloved canon would be floating down the Niangua River and I would probably still be crying. However, the camera remained back at our camp site nice and dry. Here are a few of the pictures that were actually taken.

It was a fun weekend.

Spectacular Spontaneous Summer Solstice!

It is almost time to embark on the Spectacular Spontaneous Summer Solstice!

What could be better than a spontaneous road trip with friends?

Can you think of a better way to celebrate the first day of summer than to enjoy an afternoon floating down a river?

This weekend is sure to be a good time with good friends full of good memories hopefully captured with my camera. I'll be sure to share the good pictures...

Happy summer my friends!

Update on the Summer of Mandy....

The summer of 2008 has been great so far! The ESL praxis test is over, thank the LORD! Challenge is in a few weeks, camp preparations are under way, life is good. One thing I have realized is two decisions that I made this spring have really impacted this summer. Not taking a class and stepping down from coaching are two of THE best decisions I have made in a while... Because of both of things not being a part of this summer my stress level is low, non-existent at this point and I have much more time to hang out with people and do things like read and scrapbook and play the piano. It's been great.

Here is the progress on list....(plus some new additions!) ***New additions***

• ***Sand Volleyball
• ***Play Mexican train Dominoes
• Drive-in
• Wing-nuts game (Check!)
• Sushi-party (Check!)
• Music Theatre Wichita (Check, three more shows to go!) :)
• Thursday night jazz at Bradley Fair
• Sailing
• Movie at the Old Town Warren
• Putt-putt
• Camping
• Bowling (Check! Have I mentioned that I have THE best summer job?)
• Watch the OLYMPICS
• Watch Spiderman 1, 2, and 3
• Attend Primetime
• CHALLENGE in Salt Lake City
• Scrapbook
• Get a library card/visit Eva’s library (Check!)

Road trips to…

• Cedar Vale (Labor Day)
• Manhattan
• Concordia/Newton
• Springfield

Read some books...

• The Shack (Check!)
• 4 Loves
• The Last Lecture
• The Great Divorce