My summer trips started out with Lauderdale by the Sea with Gregg - see post below for story on that fantastic trip.  Had a week home then off to Great Escape with the Middle Schoolers.  What a great week of worship, games, mud pits & Epic slipnslide.

I believe this was the start of a downhill slide .  It looked like so much fun!  I just could not resist.  The first attempt was great.  Okay, I survived that.  Just one more time.  Ready Set Go.  I was doing great until a youth bumped into me and I fell backwards, hitting my head HARD on the ground.  My friend Katie asked me if I was okay, did I have a concussion.  I said "I don’t know, what are the symtoms?"  She said you feel extremely tired.  I said "I feel extremely tired!!"  Turned out to be a mild case of whiplash.  But my back has not been the same since.   The youth that went with me were so much fun to be around.  It would not have been the same without each & every one of them.  Check out our Outback Blog for stories on that retreat and my next adventure after at week home - Salkehatchie. 

This was my 4th time to go to Salkehatchie.  The first 3 times I was a co-site leader.  I have worked along side someone who knows alot about construction & has an endless supply of tools.  This year we had 9 sites and not enough males to go around so I became site leader of a house that needed a extreme kitchen makeover.

A young couple with 2 month old twins lived in this house.  The den also needed painting & new carpet.  And we took out a wall that was making the foyer very small.  After 5 days working with 5 great youth & 3 fun adults and a sweet member of the church with a truck full of tools, we made this house a home. 

These pictures don’t do the job justice but what a blessing the week was.  We took out the center cabinet that was closing in the kitchen area, moved the frig over & put a new stove in place of where the frig was.  We painted the dark cabinets and paneled walls.  New countertops, floors and sink finished out the look.  It was beautiful if I say so myself.  We also took out a wall that was closing in the front foyer, repainted the front room and den & replaced carpet down in the den.   All for under $1700!  My back/leg was bothering me all week, I would have been in a much better mood if the pain had not been there.  But I am so glad I went.  Now I have 2 weeks to recoup before going to Jekyll Island with the High Schoolers for Fun in the Son.  Then a week home then off to end my summer trips with a family vaca at Cape San Blas.  I am so blessed!