Our Trip: Saturday & Sunday @ P4C

     Saturday began like the others with Community Groups, and then brunch. The services that morning were again wonderful - the singing and also the message brought by Dewey Novotny.

Friend Alaina - my roommate at IPS back in 2011 - it was good to see her again. :) - Photo by Leah Christine Imagery

 

Taking notes (we're there on the right) - Photo by Leah Christine Imagery

 

 

     After services we had the afternoon to ourselves. Most went to the barn to play in the volleyball tournament. Aaron & Samuel had signed up to be placed on teams.  I believe there were 14 teams in all. I like volleyball, but am not very good at it. So, Katrina & Kelsey and I found a warm spot by the fire and had a great conversation that afternoon. :) I loved that fireplace.

     After a while, Caroline & I walked down to the barn to see Samuel play.  (Caroline is chatting with mom on her phone.)

 

 

 

Samuel's Team

 

 

          After supper and the evening service, everyone headed down to the lake for the bonfire. We had a good talk with Ryan Fullerton & Hannah on the way down to the lake. Once there, everyone began roasting marshmallows & making s'mores while Micah Cavanaugh read The Skunk Ladder by Patrick McManus which was rather hilarious. We were getting a kick out of him reading it - sometimes he could barely talk because he was laughing so much.

 

     We would've stayed at the fire much longer, but it began to rain! Everyone headed back to the dining hall and then loaded up in vans, or walked to the barn for the Championship Volleyball Game. (The funniest thing about it all was that it stopped raining by the time we got to the dining hall, but at that point, we were all scattered!) So, on to the game.....

 

Singing the National Anthem and our "flag" (the guys in the red, white & blue) - Photo by Leah Christine Imagery

 

 

Laura watches the game

 

     Micah & John put on another skit for us which again, was funny. It was a full, fun evening.

 



The Skit - Photo by Leah Christine Imagery

 

Fun with friends

 

My favorite spot :)   -   Photo by Leah Christine Imagery

 

Photo by Leah Christine Imagery

 

     Next morning was our last day!  We had a wonderful service in the morning with Charles Cavanaugh bringing the message. And then it was time for good-byes :(  It took us quite a while to get away from there because we had so many to talk to and so much to say!

 



Photo by Leah Christine Imagery

 

Photo by Leah Christine Imagery

 

Kelsey - met her the first night and had good conversations - so glad to've met you Kelsey!

 

Kelsey's brother Dane - I think he shared a cabin with Samuel & Aaron

 

RJ - great friend from our cabin

 

Cristi - so happy to've met you. Loved our prayer meetings :)

 

Samuel saying goodbyes (while John photo-bombs :)

 

Caroline & Laura with Paul

 

Katrina - another great friend. Loved sharing our corner of the cabin - and our great conversations!

 

And yet another great friend - I think perhaps the first we met? At any rate, so glad to've met you Hannah!

 

     When we did finally get away - sad though it was, we really did have to get on the road. We stopped for lunch,  and once back on the road, talked for quite some time about our experiences before everyone started slowly dropping off to sleep in the van. I had insisted on driving because I'd had the most sleep besides Laura (and she didn't want to drive through the large city of Columbus Ohio). It got very quiet, and while I'd had the most sleep, I hadn't had as much as I'd like. :)  About the time I was getting a little drowsy, mom calls my phone. When she asked how everyone was, I told her that everyone was asleep but me. From there we proceeded to talk for about two and a half hours!  Mom told me later that she had lots to do, but decided to stop and keep me company. (aww, thanks mom!)

     In the course of our conversation, she relayed a message from one of our church members concerned that we wouldn't be able to find a place to stay in St. Louis (our planned destination for the night) because the World Series was taking place then. So after getting off the phone with her, we soon stopped for a break & Aaron took over driving. I got on his I-phone and did indeed find us a place to stay. The rest of our trip was uneventful and it was good to get to our motel that evening. It was also nice to gain an hour, so it wasn't overly late when we got in.  Needless to say, we all slept very good that night. 

Our Trip: Friday @ P4C13

     Friday began a little earlier than other days with breakfast being served before our Community Groups. (The other days we had brunch.) Community Groups were once again a joy to be a part of - we had lots of good conversation.

Caroline's Group - Photo by Leah Christine Imagery

 

Laura's Group - Photo by Leah Christine Imagery

 

Samuel's Group - Photo by Leah Christine Imagery

 

My Group (I'm hidden - sitting beside the girl in the red shirt) - Photo by Leah Christine Imagery

 

Our group leader - Jon Forman (he did stuff like this a LOT - he's very animated) - Photo by Leah Christine Imagery

 

Ashlyn (a girl I met at IPS) was in my group too - Photo by Leah Christine Imagery

 

Katrina slept in the bunk next to mine in our cabin - she was in Aaron's group - Photo by Leah Christine Imagery

 

 

After Community Groups we had a joint session with Ryan Fullerton bringing the message - Photo by Leah Christine Imagery

 

     After the session, everyone headed straight outdoors for the group picture. We actually took several. And boy was it cold!  We had to move after the first one because the sun was too bright.

 



  Photo by Leah Christine Imagery

 

Photo by Leah Christine Imagery

 

Photo by Leah Christine Imagery

 

     After the group shots, we headed up to the kitchen to collect our sack lunches for "Lunch with Jesus". I loved the way they did this. It was a perfect time to get alone with the Lord & commune with Him, as well as process all the things we'd been learning. Some people went outside & even though I wanted to, I knew that I would be so cold out there, that I'd be thinking of little else but the cold. So, I went to my bunk.  Afterwards, Laura & I went for a walk down to the lake.

 

 

On our way back we stopped to watch (& take pictures of) the volleyball game and Ultimate Frisbee

 

 

(Samuel & Aaron were participating in this particular game. Caroline played later - I wanted to, but never made it.)

 

     By that time it was getting toward late afternoon, so we headed up to get ready for dinner. Friday evening there was a "Formal Dinner" and you should have seen the busy-ness in our cabin as everyone got ready. It was fun to see what everyone had brought to wear. The dinner had a 30's theme - and wow, some people really went all out! The dining hall was decked out like a train (the "Orient Express") - complete with a conductor and all.

 

Photo by Leah Christine Imagery

 

Photo by Leah Christine Imagery 

 

Photo by Leah Christine Imagery

 

Photo by Leah Christine Imagery

 

The staff did a superb job decorating & preparing for this dinner - Photo by Leah Christine Imagery

 

Photo by Leah Christine Imagery

 

Photo by Leah Christine Imagery

 

Photo by Leah Christine Imagery

 

Photo by Leah Christine Imagery

 

All the girls from our Cabin - Photo by Leah Christine Imagery

 

Our Group (and yes, my bangs are doing something funky) -Photo by Leah Christine Imagery

 

 

Our table - we were joined by Angie and Joyce for dinner (they were in our cabin) - Photo by Leah Christine Imagery

 

Our servers that evening

 

Yummy Food!

 

Micah and Jon did a little skit for us after dinner. They were trying to find "the diamond ring" that went missing from "the train". Sarah (to the right of Micah) answered questions and gave some hilarious responses - she was also in our cabin.  - Photo by Leah Christine Imagery

 

 

After dinner, services were held in the auditorium. Once again, wonderful time in the Lord. I think I say that too much - but it was true! The singing, preaching, fellowship - all good. :) 

 Photo by Leah Christine Imagery

 

After services, the "After Party" got underway. Coffee anyone? - Photo by Leah Christine Imagery

 

 

     Laura got out her camera and got some great shots that evening:

 

Katrina, Joyce & Angie - wonderful friends

 

 

 

 

 

Samuel, Caroline & I visiting & making new friends.

 

 

 

Sarah

 

 

 

John (in top hat) and Samuel

 

Aaron tries the hat on for size

 

So, we ended up going to bed pretty late that night. But it was worth it. We played games & visited late into the night. :) I think I got to sleep around 12:30 or 1:00.  Found out later that Samuel didn't go to bed 'til 3:00 - playing lots of volleyball in readiness for the tournement next day. Guess I was doing pretty good!

 

I'm trying to finish up this series on our trip fairly soon - I have so much more to post from the last few weeks!  I am thinking of posting now with my pictures and then adding Leah's later when she finishes uploading them. We'll see.  This week will be super busy as we perform our Christmas Concert 4 times this week - and then we're right on top of Christmas!  I want to post - we'll see what time allows. :)