Not quite home...

I am in Minneapolis/St. Paul -- not quite home.  However I am at least in Minnesota.

I miss Alaska already.

Yesterday my sister-in-law picked me up from the airport.  We went out to eat at Big Bowl (where the family ate the night before I flew out).  Following dinner we went back to their apt., met up with Joe, looked at pictures and watched camp videos/Zak's wildlife.

This morning my mom picked me up. I was able to spend the day with her putts-ing around.

I was just blessed to have spent hours with my loving brother.

- - - - - - -

Now it truly is time to say goodbye.
Farewell.

One last THANK YOU!!!! To everyone who has supported me in all of the different ways.

love,
Gus Gus


( I will be posting on my non-camp blog : http://molly-throwingstones.blogspot.com/ )

This Really is Goodbye...

I am sitting in the Anchorage airport at terminal B6 destined for Minneapolis, MN.
Wow, I literally CAN NOT believe that I am to be in Minnesota tonight.

Honestly, I am really sad to be leaving.
Last night I spent some time with some really amazing people.
I truly have made best friends.
I can't believe that Alaska is full of such incredible people and Victory attracts the best people.  Well more accurately God brings people there and works on them and makes them amazing.

Kymie and Jesse brought me to the airport this morning.
I can not explain our friendship.
It is just amazing. Oh my goodness, I love those two people so much.
I'm the "big sister" for sure. They are basically twins.  They are basically just incredible.
I told them that they can just drop me off and I'll be fine...
They insisted that in Alaska they do things differently, they walk you in. So in they came with me.  Good thing they did!! Oh my goodness! I didn't print off any of my flight information. I couldn't find my check in place. I had to do a bunch of switching stuff around so my bags were under 50 lbs (48 & 49 for the record).  Not to mention I had 3 bags so I don't know how I would have done it without them :)
Then we went to Yogurtland/Cinnabon. :) There was a lot of laughter and a lot of smiling. It was the perfect way to leave Alaska.

Now I am sitting here listening to The Civil Wars, Jars of Clay (Dead Man), and about to watch Zak's Wildlife adventures and then our camp videos.

Coming to an End

My time here in Alaska has been absolutely amazing.
I am working on packing everything up right now.
Tomorrow I will go to church and then drive into Palmer/Wasilla to meet up with a great friend.  She will bring me to the airport on Monday morning and I am scheduled to arrive in Minneapolis 7:30 pm.

I am going to be switching over to my non-camp blog.
Thank you to all of you who have supported my summer of serving at Victory Bible Camps.  I greatly appreciate your prayers and other forms of support.  It means more than you will ever know.  Thank you once again.

Yesterday we went into Palmer/Wasilla and we came across this sign on our road! As in the people on the road need to  yield to aircraft! Where is the aircraft coming from?!?!  (Apparently intersecting with the road is an "airstrip" - a mowed grass section-- Welcome to Alaska).

Saw this moose yesterday morning on the side of Victory Rd.  It was so close that I didn't zoom my camera AT ALL ! 

a little older pictures- but ones that just begin to capture the natural beauty of Alaska.

This baby was in our yard last week, along with its twin and its mama. 

On the drive from Palmer to Victory.  This picture was taken while we were still driving. 

On the drive from Palmer to Victory. Yes it really is that beautiful. 

Breaking All the Rules

Some people at camp get labeled . . . some are done rightfully so. 

I'm not going to say what we may be labeled as because I think you can decide for yourself ;)

Kymie and I decided that we were going to break all of the rules (well at least the ones that we wouldn't get in trouble for.)

On the blob tower - - without a lifeguard . 

On the speedboat (well it may have just been parked by the dock . . .)

Speedboat! 

On the banana boat - on the dock!

Sitting in the lifeguard's chair - - big no no.
"Kymie your shoe is untied."

Taking hot coco mix from the top of the machine (seriously don't do this one- its unsanitary)

Standing on a table - we are such rebels. 

Sitting in the S.A.L.T. truck. 

Playing in someone's playhouse. 

uhhh . . .

Looks like horseplay to me 

Where is the life vest?

Not only is there no life vest, it definitely is not properly fitted.  

In the laundry room past the appropriate hour.

Oh yes, we went there. 

So mischevious it hurts. . 

Yeah, we push the boundaries. 

"Kymie your shoe is untied."

She sure looks parked to me.
"Kymie your shoe is untied."

Not sure if this is breaking any rules . . . but it sure was silly. 

We are both on the kitchen carts. 

True rebellion. 

"Kymie your shoe is untied."

Using the life guard's floaty thing as a weapon + hitting the assistant program director. 

Unauthorized walkie talkie usage. 

Behind the front counter! 

We are so bad. 

Crying wolf about the fire alarm.

uhhh . . . not sure if this is breaking a rule . . . improper use of the kayak paddles !
"Kymie your shoe is untied."

You can determine for yourself just how bad we are.

Personally, I think we are bad to the bone. 

Up to no good.

Vivacious at Victory

Alaska is gorgeous.  I do not believe any person can argue with that.  Even more amazing than the scenery are the people.

This camper is so special to me.  She was with me for the first week of camp but had to leave Thursday morning.  Then her mom signed her up for week three of camp and she was able to stay for the entire week!!! It was just absolutely amazing to see how God worked in her during week one and then again week three. 

Oh I just love this girl.  She was just absolutely amazing. 

Now if miss Ayvree can not make you laugh, well then you most likely will never be able to.  She is just a sweetheart and really just lit up the room. 

Maverick's wife Crash and their daughter.  Absolutely beautiful. 

Such a great example for all of us young women. 

My lovely Kelly Jo. 

So cute. All the time. 

One word: AMAZING.
I love this girl! She really is amazing. 

One of the kids from the community/connected to camp-- I don't really know him other than through camp/church but he is just a cutie and cracks me up! 

Beautiful Moments

Since I have arrived in Alaska, well more accurately, since I have set eyes on Alaska- I have been in awe of it's beauty.  When the plane descended below the clouds and the mountains came into view, my breath was taken away.  My camera was out and I was basically flipping out.  The beauty was captivating.

I am unable to express my gratitude to all of those who helped me and supported me on my journey to serving at Victory Bible camp. 

Not only have my eyes witnessed the outrageous beauty but I have been able to be a part of truly beautiful moments. 

I was a counselor at Alpine camp (middle school/high school).  These are the handprints and/or footprints of the Alpine staff.  These are some of the most amazing people I have ever met.  It was truly a privilege to serve with them. (Camp names are written by their prints, My camp name was Gus Gus.) (My first footprint smudged. . . a lot. . . so I had to do it over in red. It was QUITE the fun process.)

This is at the Alpine camp out.  That is MuddChopps.  One of the best men I will ever meet.  He is amazing.  He is one of the Visible boys.  Phoenix had my camera and took this picture . . . . laughter is rarely unheard.

This is one of my campers.  I called her "gimpy" because she had an injured knee coming into camp and then injured it again at camp out.  She was such a trooper though.  She has an amazing heart and was so patient with other campers.  She is one of those really special people that you know God is going to use in really big ways. 

Oh I LOVE these two girls.  They also have some of the best hearts I have ever come across.  So patient and kind.

This moment was truly precious.

I can not express to you, just how much I love these two amazing women.  Kymie and Kelly. Ugh. I just love them.

If this doesn't just make your heart sing, well I don't know if your heart ever will.  Prayer outside of Miracle Lodge before lunch time. 

My dear friend Swix.

This was the first week of camp.  The amazing girl to the left- she just had my heart.  I wish that I could protect all of my campers from any sort of hurt for the rest of their lives. 

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE these girls!! They are sisters.  I had them in my cabin for week one and week three.  They are a couple of spit fires, to say the least. 

On the fourth of July, at the Matanuska River. 

The adorable little girl is Maverick's daughter (my director) and the beautiful Kelly.

Monday night, dropping Zak off at the airport.  It really was a beautiful moment- I was able to really say goodbye to this summer of camp.  Since I am still at camp but almost all of the staff are gone and all of the campers are gone-- well it just isn't CAMP.  The transition was really rough at first- so being able to leave camp, say goodbye to a good friend, and then return to Kelly's house--- well it just was really a beautiful thing. 

Saying goodbye to one of my campers. . . . the most difficult part of every week.  We do it seven times.  It doesn't get any easier.  At the end of the week the campers are going home, wether its to a loving family or a heart aching situation.  It just doesn't get any easier as the weeks go by.