A Sad Goodbye

Nobody said that internships are stressless.

Good grief. PUMP VBS has been this week and its been fun, but been taking some time off of our work days. We are working on home visits this week to get to meet our kids and their parents before camp actually starts. Thats exciting! I have the going into 1st and 2nd graders this year and it looks like it is going to be about 20 kids. I'm pretty pumped about going with that grade group again, especially since ideally, that is what I want to teach when I grow up :)

I had to have a sad goodbye today to the VDK's. They are special people to me. Caiti Boo and her overwhelming laugh and bouncing girls was one of the major joys of myh life last summer and brought many more smiles just these past few weeks that I have been here. I will miss here alot.



Miss Tessa and her sweet heart and gentle spirit. She is such an amazing kid who also one of the most determined kids I have met. The time I spent with her has been such a blessing to me as she loved on me with no apprehension. Her tender heart makes her so special



Anna Banana is so strong willed and is so full of energy. It was sad to come back and see her so big, but when I held her in my arms today as I was forced to say goodbye, I realized that she is the same girl that I loved on all last summer.


Lori was such a huge part of my summer this year in just the few weeks that I have gotten to hang out with her. Below is a picture from our scarier than ever experience on a 30 foot high log that was nestled in between two trees. I love how there was no doubt in my mind about choosing her as a partner. I without a doubt trusted her with my life and its amazing to me how easy it was for me to do.



It is people like these that make me love PUMP and make me want to be closer to then after graduation. They show me the amazing thing that is fostering children in such a loving and spiritual place like PUMP. And the love they have showed me has been such a blessing to me.

I thank God for the VDK girls and their love for God and for me

Long time, no write

WOW, I realized it has been a while since I have written on here.
Things have been pretty hectic around here. This past week was a start of official work days, which is cool, but long.

PUMP VBS is this week, which means there are West Houston people here. That is really weird for me to see both of my church families together. I'm glad that there are West Houston people that got to experience a PUMP Sunday morning, because there is really nothing else like it in the world.

Nights have been filled too. I was blessed enough to see STOMP! with the interns, Cheronn, Casey, the Whites, and the Grauls. It was definitely a good time.

Not much happened super exciting this week, but I bet something will this coming week!

Blessings!

In a Box

Today was another great day in the Northwest.

I learned a great lesson today from a small child. And it is lessons like this that makes the whole summer worth it.

I was sitting in on the 4th and 5th grade class at PUMP today and in the middle of class Lele remembers that he left his Bible downstairs. So Casey tells him that he can go get it from the living room. He comes back carrying his Bible in the small box that it came in. As he pulls it out, he shows me how his, "full name" (Leontrell) is branded on the front of the black leather in gold letters. He proceeds to ask for thelp finding the verse he missed while retreiving the Bible and then sits and meditates on it for a few minutes. He then closes the Bible and shows me the gold on the end of the pages and it so proud of what he is holding in his hands. When class is over, he asks ME to put the Bible back into the box, trusting me to "do it right so it doesnt get messed up."

After the food was eaten and the kids were gone, I sat down and thought about what had happeed in class.

I wish for myself that I will guard the word of God in my heart with a box and ask for help so that no one can, "mess it up". It has become harder for me in the past year to ask for help in protecting this precious thing and I hope that I can continue to rely on the few people that I hav trusted this past year with my deepest feelings and my inner struggles. I also pray that I will continue to realize that the most precious gift I can have is the word of Gosd, as it leads me through a life of ups and downs.


Thanks, Lele

Great Retreat

Well, we just got back from the intern retreat and it was amazing. I am really excited about working with this group of people and I think we are going to be awesome for these kids.

We were really challenged at retreat and I am very excited and happy about the way that we responded to those challenges and how we helped one another through them.

I confronted myself about stuff on this retreat and was blessed through them too. I thank God for all of the people that were there and the trust that i have or the trust I am gaining in them.

I got to go to Vancouver COC on Monday and watch Won by One perform and it was awesome. It was also awesome to get to hang out with Cheronn and get to see Chelsea, from last summer and tallk to her sincec she has been in Germany for the past year.


oh, and Portland....its AH-mazing

First Day

Well, I think my first official day as an intern was a HUGE success.
I just love Sundays at PUMP...so much going on and I adore how it is all hands on deck. I ended up downstairs helping Suzy with the little ones during worship and upstairs helping her again with the babies during class. I like how I walk into PUMP and I have no clue what I am going to be doing that day, but I look forward to whatever it is.

The kids are so much bigger now and the old person in me is sad that they are growing up. But, they are still the same kids and thats all that matters. I sat down and was automatically surrounded by Trinity and Michal, an AMAZING feeling. I have missed them both in the past year. Friends from last summer are music to my eyes (haha). It was great to sit by Cheronn and talk to her for a good bit of time. And to hang out with Casey and Kristi and all of the PUMP people.



My Daddy and I have actually been here since Thursday evening. Friday we went hiking on the Columbia River Gorge and took paths that I didnt even know existed. I was very pleased with my experience, but sadly, my legs are still feeling it even today :( We went to Henry's for dinner, my ultimate favorite restaurant in PDX. And then experiences the automobile section of Powell's. Im pretty positive he enjoyed church today and I have loved spending the last week with him. I'll be sad to see him go tomorrow.

Amarillo By Morning

Well, we are in Amarillo. We actually got here yesterday and I got to hang out with my best friend, Julya, for the night. It was loads of fun and I have missed that girl this past year. Even more important, today was her birthday so it was a blessing to hang out with her for that, too.

We are driving to Laramie, Wyoming today and it should be better scenery than yesterday.


Breakfast time! Bye.