With the house in order, Mama sent everyone to bed. All the boys piled into their room and though the little ones were far from sleepy, they were in bed too and kept talking about "the hotel" and "swimming in the pool." Em and I trotted off to my bedroom to settle in. (Katie slept with Mama.)
Joshy, excited to leave.
Natey can't wait to go to the Children's Institute, again!
Em, Katie and I. Nobody looks good at 3:00am in the morning....*smile*We were all excited but it's really hard to see much out of the windows at 4:30am. It was still pretty dark. The first few hours we drove were spent listening(for others, sleeping) to "Hymn Histories." the highlight of the morning was seeing the sunrise. It was so amazing to watch as the sun glowed and rose behind the mountains and finally spilled over the hills and flooded the dew sprinkled fields. It was so beautiful!
The sunrise...
After the sun had risen, the trip was much more pleasant. We watched as slowly the city faded and the beautiful country began to show it's face. Soon instead of highways and sky scrapers we were seeing trees, open fields, cows grazing, haystacks, farms, rolling hills, lakes, rivers and occasionally a large family home. It was all together enchanting and it made our trip very enjoyable.
Emily and I. If we look a little haggard, we were regretting our "late talk" the night before.
Katie, reading....
Any Jane Austen fans?
Sure enough within minutes we pulled into the Hawthorn Suites Hotel, where we had stayed last year. Daddy went inside to check in. For those of us waiting in the car, we felt like he was gone for hours, when in reality it was only a few minutes. Part of the reason we were so impatient was that our friends, the Winslow family, were down at the pool. We hadn't seen them since last year's conference and we couldn't wait to see them! Each child had a certain friend or buddy they wanted to see and play with. Although, I had to keep telling Katie to calm down....Emily had to hold my hand and calm me down. (Thanks, Emily!)
The hotel entrance...
Once we got our room number we parked and the doors of the car flew open. Some ran with Daddy down to the pool right away. However, as excited I was, Mama had required of me to help her unpack before I literally flew down to the pool and nearly killed my friend with a bear hug! I quickly agreed, and pretended not to mind. Ryan, Em and I were carrying in suitcases when Mama noticed that Joshy was missing. Em and I were commissioned to go see if he had gone with Daddy to the pool. Opening the gate, we found him and were greeted by the Winlows. I introduced Emily to them after receiving two WET hugs from Tarra and Gracie Winslow. ( It's ok, girls, I loved them!)
Em and I hurried back upstairs changed, helped little guys get their suits on and hurried down to the pool were we covered ourselves in sun screen and were soon enjoying the delights of a pool on a summer day, all to ourselves. The Winslows needed to run and grab dinner and so they joined us later. We had a blast in the pool! It was so much fun! Katie and Gracie, her best friend were happily splashing and chatting. Ryan and Daniel were busy competing in the water. Em, Tarra and I were busy talking and getting wet, with our younger siblings, while Mama was visiting in the hotel room with Mrs. Winslow.
Katie and Timmy, at the pool.
Natey and Joshy. "Ready to swim, guys?"
Ryan and Mama by the pool....
Sunscreen time....
"We ARE ready, Ashley!"
The pool...
Water fun! Ry and Timmy. (Timmy's first time in the pool.) He's not quite sure what to think of it...
Danny and Joshy....
Natey and I....(Emily and Katie are behind.)
Tarra, Em and I.... "The Three Pool-eteers"....*smile*
The pool crowd
playing in the pool...
Joshy and his little friend Lily Winslow....
Isaiah, landing in the water...
"No more pictures.......please?"
Two of the Winslow boys....getting ready to jump in.
Daniel, Natey and Mr. Winslow eating.....We stayed at the pool until it closed, and then headed up to our rooms after saying goodbye, where we fell asleep within minutes. (One thing that was very hard during the trip was, getting enough sleep! Emily can attest to that! We were always very tired.)
The next day was registration day, and in the evening, the first main session of the conference. (We had arrived a day early so we could settle in.) So after a good breakfast, we headed down to the Sacramento Convention Center, where the conference is held, to register. Mama registered Katie for Pre-Excel, Danny and Isaiah for Alert Cadets, and Natey and Joshy for CI(Children's Institute.) We ran into some friends and acquaintances( from last year's conference and from church).
Registration....
Isaiah, Natey, Caleb, Daniel and Joshua(Winslow) talking.....
Tarra's 15th Birthday was Sunday, so Em and I gave her, her gifts on Tuesday. (Behind her is her younger sister Grace, Katie, directly across from her is Mrs. Winlsow, next to Mrs. Winslow is Joshua(Winlsow) and little Lily is in the stroller. )
Adorable, little, Lily....
Natey, and his buddy, Daniel Winslow.
This year, Ryan taught in his first CI(at the conference), while Em and I taught the COMMIT program. Tuesday, we had Teacher Training. He had training at 1:00pm for CI, and we had COMMIT training at 2:00pm. Mama and Daddy wanted to check out the Train Museum, nearby, so they left us at the convention and told us they would be back for dinner.(Our training would take about 4 hours.)
COMMIT Teacher Training.......(The Gentleman is Mr. Reed, founder of COMMIT, and the curly-haired lady on the end is Elisabeth, who led the program. )We attended the first and opening session of the conference and then we hurried back to the hotel to get ready for a very long, next three days. No one argued with Mama about going to bed, this time. After rising at three, an eight hour drive, swimming all day long(the day before), one is very tired. Everyone was soon snuggled under his or her covers and sound asleep.
Sleepers.....
Emily and I's bathroom.....
More "Sleeping Handsomes."
The next three day flew by! I taught in COMMIT, this year. It was an INCREDIBLE and AMAZING week! The Lord opened the door for me to share my testimony at a COMMIT main session, the last day. Emily and I worked on the same team with six lovely young ladies. They were such a blessing to be with and get to know in the short time we had with them. We spent the two mornings just getting know them and finding qualites and talents in them that made them each unique and special in a different way. Our job was to play the role of an older sister(Hmm, not to hard for me...), making them feel loved and special, and encouraging them by sharing our faults, failures, and struggles with them. We made friends for a life, that week! Also, the staff, Mr. Reed and his wife, Mrs. Reed, Elizabeth, Jocelyn, along with the rest of the teachers, all blessed me with their open hearts and allowing Christ's love to flow through them! I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to work with them!
Our team: Left to right: Sarah, Me, Tabitha, Emily, Jovi, Kristen, Shekinah, and Alicia 
Ryan worked on team F-1 with his assistant Lydia. They taught the "Armour of God" cirriculam. This year they made mini clay people and slowly over the next three days armour was added as the children learned about each part. Ryan did a great job with his team, and Em and I had to agree it was the orderliest and cleanest team. Well done, Ryan!
Natey and Joshy were on Ryan's team. This was Joshy's first CI so he was very excited and really enjoyed it! Natey did alot of coloring and drawing. Both of them made several different crafts including, a mini clay man clad in the Armour of God. They watched and listened to skits and stories of which Ryan made it into part of the cast! CI put together some verses and hand signs to say, along with two songs to sing for their Parent Presentation.
Ryan's team, F-1.....
Natey coloring.....
Lined up and heading back to the team station after Large Assembly....
Songtime......
Katie, Gracie and some friends at Pre-Excel.
ALERT CADETS, provided plenty of excercise, for the boys. Daniel and Isaiah were on team Kahki 2 with their buddy, Caleb Winslow, which was led by Christian, Caleb's older brother. Kahki 2 recieved two awards, Character-1st place and second place on a Rocket which was built out of two liter soda bottles and hydropumps! The were also given many challenges such as, building a bridge(stretched across three tripods made out of wooden poles) which would be sturdy enough to hold an entire Squad, and kicking a ball into a hula hoop six feet high! They also prepared a presentation for the last day. ALERT was in need of trasnportation and so Mama willingly offered to drive teams to the camp. (I was not able to get any pictures of them during ALERT, but here is one right before the presentation.)
Listening to Major Farr......
Emily and I attended Student Sessions this year. (COMMIT was only from 8:00am-12:00pm.) We heard many amazing testimonies, as well as sessions. Some shared about attending "The Journey" and others shared about hidden struggles or spiritual problems.
Paul and Jenny Speed spoke on "Identifying Lies" in our lives. They shared the importance of understanding why we believe the lies we do, and how to defeat them with God's Word. At the opening of the session, Mrs Speed planned to play volleyball with us all, but Mr. Gothard, after introducing the Speeds, decided to linger in the back instead of leave as planned, so Mrs. Speed threw chocolate! It was quite a sight! Tarra and I had to duck more than twice, ( Mrs. Speed sure can throw hard!)and although I got hit once, it was alot of fun! Later I had a chance to talk with Mrs. Speed privately. ( A dream come true! I know it sounds silly but I really always wanted.)
Mrs. Speed, Mama and I.....
We also enjoyed being part of the chior! Tarra and I sang soprano, while Emily sang alto. We all greatly appreciated the hard work Mr. Fox put into us, and several of the young people, including Tarra and I signed a card, and pitched into help buy a lovely bouquet of flowers.(At first I insisted, that guys do not like flowers, but Christian, Tarra's older brother, cleared me up on that score, so I readily agreed)
We had so many great vidoes and live speakers at the Main Sessions. This year's theme was:"Life Purpose With Power To Win." Roger Magnuson and David Barton came and spoke, live, which was a real treat! Several very talented people, opened each session with instrumental or choral special numbers, one of which the four oldest Winslow children did. They played a quartet on the piano, which sounded wonderful! Great job, Winslows!(Hopefully sometime I'll get a picture on here of them.)
The last day was very busy as teams were preparing their presentaions and end for the year. The time came for the presentations and everyone was excited. First Mr. Gothard spoke and then introduced each program, with that, the attendents would come, give their presentation and the teachers would share while a slideshow of the week played. Mr. Gothard ended the presentations with some exhortation, challenges, and anounced the dates for next year's conference!!!!
Mr. Joel, sharing about the CI.......this isn't the best, but I caught Natey on the slideshow!
Ryan and his assistant, Lydia, performing their presentation....
ALERT Cadets, at attention......the little guys in the front are so cute! After the presentations of ALERT Cadets, CI, Pre-Excel, and COMMIT were completed, and a short break was taken, the chior and orchestra performed. It was such a privialedge to sing and be a part of the chior! What a treat it was to sing, and really mean , after an encouraging and spiritually reviving week, "It will be worth it all, when we see Jesus."
Singing in the chior.............
Mr. Fox leaves in tears after the song was done....
This takes a bit of explaining. The staff took a picture of a signed paper from many of the chior attendents, then they planned it to pop up after the chior sang. We planned to present him the flowers when we finished singing, but he walked off stage crying! In the bottom left hand corner, Jill is running after Mr. Fox to give him the flowers!!! She almost missed him!
Mr. Gothard closing.....
