Our First Group Meeting

This past Sunday Week 3 retreat volunteers met for the first time. Here are a few things that I learned:

• There are a LOT of volunteers and they come from all over. A group from Alabama will be trained separately as will a group from South Georgia. Lots of volunteers means lots of names to learn. I am TERRIBLE with names. I hope they are forgiving!

• A lot of these volunteers have done this before. I will be glad for their guidance and experience. My mantra will be, "I'm new here..."
• As each person shared what they were most looking forward to about the week, the overwhelming response was the friendships that will be made. The second most common response was the opportunities for a whole family to serve together.

• We will be up and going early each morning, preparing for the day. There is a volunteer meeting for about an hour each day starting at 8 a.m. I will be bringing my coffee!
• Each day is different. One day the families go horseback riding, one day we go "into town" for lunch, etc. The schedule is packed full. The volunteers are expected to be at all activities (can't wait to experience each one!) but the families do only what they want. This is their week. The opportunities are endless!

• One day, the moms of the families go for a spa day. How cool is that?
• While we are there, the dads will be celebrated for fathers day. I was too late for the sign up for making pancakes. I'll try to help out with that anyway.
• There were about 30 sign up sheets for various opportunities throughout the week to be of assistance. I hardly remember which ones I wrote my name on. I do know that I will be tying balloons one morning for 2 hours.

• One thing that scares me is being assigned to anything artsy crafty. Remember how I said earlier that I believe God gifts us in different areas? Well, as of today, I still have not felt gifted in this area. It scares me and I avoid it. I'm a much better worker bee!
• I learned that this will be a week like no other. Can't wait to get this party started!

The graduation countdown ended this past Saturday. Michael is officially an alumnus of Auburn University. WAR EAGLE!

We have 13 more days of school but as I write this, I am on a mini-vacation, enjoying having my kids at home for a few days...a rare treat!

In just 37 more days, we will be headed to Port St. Joe for Blue Skies!