Training......

is now 8 days in. Wow it went so quickly. We have a great team already even though the counsellors and support staff haven't arrived yet. We've had a camp fire.

We camped out. I got eaten up by the mosquitos! We ate hobo dinners.

And today we did canoe training, well..... I say we but I didn't get in a canoe! I don't do small boats, I've fallen out of too many! I got to take lots of photos though.

I did make some cards this week as well, one I've given away already but these two are for two girls who I'm going to be supporting/supervising this summer. They both have birthdays this weekend so I made them cards which will also be to welcome them.

Anyway I have first aid kits to check so I'm off!

I'm here!

Well here really!

I arrived at Riverwoods on Wednesday, it felt like home from the moment we drove onto grounds. It feels so right to be here. I spent about 2 hours awake before the jet lag kicked in and I succumbed to sleep. The other leadership staff who are here came back to find me asleep in the cabin with a face mask on and earplugs in!! Anyway here's where we're staying at the moment (minus the snow of course).

There are only four of us summer staff here at the moment, some more staff arrive on Monday and the rest a week on Monday. It's been so nice to get to know the people I'll be working with on the leadership team. They are all really great and it feels like we've been friends for ages! Cheesy I know but totally true. I already cried in front of them whilst sharing my testimony this morning so I can't really make much more of a spectacle of myself! Anyway see you soon with more tales from Riverwoods!

Better late than never!!

Well, this is a bit late but I've not been well! I've still got a stinker of a cold, YUK, but I feel better than I did. Everyone who commented on my RAK post will get at least one card. Email me at maciver@tesco.net if you're one of those people. If you didn't already say what card you'd like most then please let me know. I'm on a tight schedule in that I leave for the US a week today so need to know soon!

Well my visa is all done. I spent a little time in the rain outside here and lots more time inside!

It actually took about half the time it did last time which was nice. I was a lot more prepared as well. I took food, drink and reading material this time!! My passport has arrived back and I've booked my flight.

My stomach has not really stopped doing cartwheels for about 2 and a half weeks now. Last time I went to Riverwoods I finished work three weeks before I left and I kind of got used to the idea that I was actually going much earlier. This time I haven't finished work yet and I kind of had a light bulb moment at the embassy when it really hit me, full force. I'm actually leaving kind of soon!!

I only have two shifts left at work now and I don't think everyone realises I'll be gone for three months. To be honest I can't remember who I've told and who I haven't. I work with so many people and the shifts we work mean you can go three weeks easily without seeing someone. I sent an email to everyone to tell them what's going on. I'm sure I'll still come back to rumours (that place thrives on gossip) and sup rise that I'm back!

I have one Sunday at church to go. Again I don't remember who knows and who doesn't! I'm really a goldfish in disguise, three second memory!! I'm really gonna miss the kids who I do children's work with. There are four babies in the church under 1 year old. Three months is a long time in their lives. I shall miss seeing them change.

Look now I've made myself all maudlin! I did get home sick last time. Not everyday by any means, but there were days when my heart hurt. If you're the praying kind please remember me in your prayers. I shall be spending my third birthday in a row away from home. Don't get me wrong I really want to go and have many wonderful friends at Riverwoods but everyone feels down sometimes. I'm just so overwhelmingly grateful that I have God to be there with me at those times!

Anyway enough now! Thanks for dropping by!

Scrappy RAK

Ok so I promised a RAK. Now I was going to take my own photos of what's up for grabs but I forgot! So this is from the net.

I found this old game called Kan U Go in a charity shop for the princely sum of 25p (30 cents). It has little cards with the same info as on a scrabble tile. I thought immediately they'd be great for scrapping. So I snapped them up. Now, I'm never going to be able to use them all so leave me a comment with the letter you'd like and I'll pick some winners in a week. UK winners will be posted before May 13th and US ones after May 13th as I shall hopefully be in the US by then.

1 year, 5 months, 3 days...........

..........since I last blogged. I hope I can remember how!! So lets do a little recap.

Faith

Well, God willing, in less than a month I'm going back to Riverwoods to work on the summer camp. This time it's not quite so much of a jump off a cliff as I can take unpaid leave from work and I don't have a flat to give up, but it still means that I need God so much for support. I feel like it's definitely the right thing for me to do. I have prayed about it and the paperwork and stuff is much easier this time. I'll be on the leadership staff this summer as well as the health care staff. Those of you who pray, please do! I'll need it as leadership can be a massive challenge. I've never had to deal with some of the situations that I may encounter doing it so please pray for wisdom.

Scrapping

Most, if not all, of my LO's these days are made with Studio Calico kits. I love them. Scarlet and April the owners co-ordinate everything so perfectly. I makes life so easy. I'm thinking of selling most of my other stash on Ebay because it never gets used! They have a new kit going live on Tuesday morning at 5am GMT. I shall be getting up for this one because my mum has promised to buy the project kit for my birthday. I know my birthday isn't until July but I'll be in Illinois by then so it makes sense. The project kit is a canvas album by Donna Downey. It looks gorgeous and I plan to use it for some photos from camp this year. In the small amount of time off that I get I should be able to do little bits on it. Hopefully that'll give me the scrappy fix I need.

This is my latest LO. It's made with the January Studio Calico kit. I'm seriously behind! The baby in the picture is my friend's little girl. She's four days old in this picture. Totally gorgeous!

I used Maya mists on the background. I sprayed metallic turquoise on first, then masked the star and sprayed sliver over the top. I then used a template to stitch around the outline. I think I may be addicted to the mists!!

Cars

Not much to say here really. I went to Le Mans again last year.

It was wonderful as usual. The sound that reverberates around the start/finish straight is totally amazing. It echoes right down inside you. There's just nothing like it. I will never get sick of it.

Aston Martin won the GT1 category. They raced in the lovely Gulf colours.

Talking of Astons, they revealed this recently.

It's the concept of their one-77. Now I love Astons and this car is gorgeous, but £1,000,000!!

Anyway, that's it for now. I shall be back soon with a little scrappy RAK. See you soon.

Aston Martin N400 roadster

Just a little piccie. It's beautiful!

TTFN

WoooHooo!

Just a quick one as I'm in the middle of tidying my room (wonders will never cease)!

I made UKS Lay Out of the Week, and it's on the home page. They didn't tell me it would be, so I only found from my UKS team mate. I have to say I know it's not a huge thing but I was very happy.

Anyway TTFN.