I went to Gatlinburg!

...or is it spelled Gatlinberg? I never know. Anyways, I went with the youth girls in my church for a 3 day retreat way high up in the Smoky Mountains. Waaaay up there! I drove in first gear thw whole way up to the chalet, but it was totally worth it. It was a time of well deserved rest and renewal, especially since school has just let out. The weather was great, the view was awesome, and the chalet was so much more than I ever expected or dreamed. It had 8 bedrooms, every one with a different theme, (mine had a moose theme), a jacuzzi, a sauna, and 4 levels. I wasn't able to be there for the first night (Tuesday), but I joined them Wednesday night and one of the first things I spotted was the plate of orange peels on the floor one of the girls had left earlier, so I had to be artistic and get a shot of it.
The bond that I see between these girls is so strong, and I am so happy to be able to be there to see them grow, struggle, love, cry, fight, make up, and be the young women God wants them to be. I'm glad I was able to go, not just as a chaperone, but as a friend, and hopefully the girls will remember some of the things they learned and apply it to their lives so that other people can see Jesus through them.

On another note, how awesome was the season finale of Lost? I finally got some answers and woo, Sayid is just Mr. Hottie Hot Pants when he came back with Claire's baby. Hurley was so funny and waah, I have to wait until next fall to find out what's in the hatch! I guess somehow I'll survive *sniff*.

So here are some pictures of the retreat, enjoy and I'm going to sleep now!