4

4 lightening strikes in the last 2 minutes. crazy! i'm loving it.

That's one thing that's amazing about Denver...it's so flat here that you watch the storms off in the distance...pretty sweet!

well it's been a crazy week and a half since my last post...

last week we took some kids kayaking, to the zoo, and to a downtown carnival...talk about exhausting...but so worth it.

The kayaking event was in Golden, CO...so we made Golden Tickets for nine lucky children! They had a blast! I had so much fun watching them learn and then take off! No worries though they were on a pond...across the street from a river where pro kayakers were doing tricks on a class II rapid....sweet! the kids all wanted to try....hahahaa no.

This particular trip was interesting because I was able to view my kids inlight of the other "normal" kids who came for the kayaking lessons...there was also food provided and our kids if they didn't eat it they wanted to take it home with them...B left with 5 apples, 3 burritos, 2 honeybuns, and 1 giant jug of Picante salsa...kind of funny...but sad to realize that most of these kids know a life that questioned where the next meal was coming from...

The Zoo. 21 kids. 3 leaders. 1 migraine. My group was decent...except for the one guy who would not stay with me...or the group. ever. But they loved the animals and especially the monkeys. I wonder why? We got the tickets donated and brought snacks and water...that way the parents didn't have to pay...but it was hard not being able to give the kids rides on the trains or ice cream or souvenirs...but at least they got to go right?

The SAY Yes! (a mentoring program) carnival. 9 kids. 6 leaders. 0 migraine. I hung out with K. He is a 4 year old that speaks very clearly and knows exactly what he wants. and he has a mullet. haha. He got his whole face painted like spiderman. "Hi! Did you know that I'm Spiderman?!?!?!" and he got a sword balloon animal. "Ya! Hi-Ya!" Right next to the carnival was a McDonald's...we got all the kids sundaes...ha. ha. ha. talk about hilarious when 3 year old G tries to eat with a spoon and it goes everywhere...

This past weekend we went to Estes Park on Sunday...so far I have only been to the foothills apparently. Because Sunday...talk about humongous snow capped mountains...beautiful...

Then comes this week. This week has been one thing after another.

One family is leaving. One family might be kicked out. One family's dad is hoping to join the New Life Program (NLP). Today we had to bring a social worker in. it's just been crazy...full of those little details that I can't talk about....suffice it to say that it's been hectic and prayer would be greatly appreciated.

For one of my specialized experienes for my internship...I got to do the New Family Orientation. AMAZING. Favorite thing so far. I went to the whole thing...it begins with the STAR Case Managment and then to the Facility Director and then to the STAR Youth Program. My supervisor wants me to do the orientation the rest of the summer! I'm excited. Basically I present a ton of mandated paperwork to the families with kids...This week the crossing got 4 new Families with kids....so we have 14 new kids at the crossing! woo hoo..

well Panera is closing...hahaha.
bye

p.s. the most totally amazing thing ever also happened this week.........my roommate Kaila got me a gallon jug of fresh brewed Sweet Tea!!! amazing huh? I'd been talking about how much i missed it...and she surprised me!!!! loves her!