pirates

around 4pm Kate and I went walking aimlessly around the YMCA grounds, and found a trail that leads into Morraine Park, so we followed that and were surprised by many male elk!



they just stared us down--haha



then at 8pm we went to see "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End," Jack Sparrow was at the movie theater so we got a picture with him. I liked the movie, it was enjoyable, but a lot was going on in the movie and it was long! But go see it and find out for yourself!

tick attack

i went on a hike to the top of a big hill near my cabin with a bunch of people. the elevation gain was 1000 ft, going straight up. it ws difficult. well we got back around 7:15pm and went to dinner and then when i got back i took a shower, and probably around 10:45pm i was blow drying my hair and felt a bump on my scalp. so i picked that thing out and here it was a tick, i freaked out and ran to Emily, Kate, and Jennee's room and screamed, and then they all freaked out and went checking themselves for ticks. i won't go on another hike without putting on bug spray and checking for ticks. but it was worth it to see the view. here are some pictures.

















the people i was with

first night

it was pretty exciting driving into colorado and getting a first glimpse of the rocky mountains. and once we got into estes park, they became big and even more beautiful!

















and below is the beloved long's peak

















we arrived at the YMCA in the afternoon and registered. i thought that the four of us girls would be together two of us roomming in two different rooms but i was wrong. the three other girls were in one room and i was in another. i was pretty upset, probably because i grew so close to these girls and felt comfortable around them, and now i will be roomming with a total stranger. i'm roomming with one other girl who is working at the YMCA but is not part of the LT program. God showed me the amazing opportunity i have to show Christ to this girl. but it's been tough cause i feel kind of left out, not being able to be with the other girls. but i mean we are next door so i can hang out in their room a lot! but i still feel a little lonely but there is a reason for everything :-) i just want the first few days to pass, they will be the hardest getting used to my schedule. but once i'm in the swing of things, its going to be amazing!

rach

p.s. it snowed this evening!

almost there

i'm sitting in ogallala, nebraska, ready to crash. i've been up since 5:30 this morning and have been in a car since 6:30 this morning until 9:30 this evening. i cannot believe i am finally beginning this adventure. the drive was a lot of fun, i was with three other girls in a car and we talked the whole time. here's something to know: if you want to get to know someone really well, spend 10 hours in a car with them! in central nebraska we had to dodge bad weather, there were tornado warnings/watches right where we were headed, but fortunately we missed the bad weather and didn't have to drive through more than 15 minutes of rain. after getting to the hotel i soaked my feet in the hot tub, it felt amazing. but now i'm so exhausted and it's an early day tomorrow. goodnight.

rach

less than a month

In less than a month, I will be in Estes Park, CO, beginning my adventure in the Rockies. I'm definitely scared and nervous. This is a huge step out of my comfort zone. I love comfort and staying safe, this is risky, I'm on my own out in the mountains. But I trust God and I know He wants me to go this summer so He can teach me some things. I am excited for that. I definitely appreciate prayers as I prepare for this journey.

Rach