Let's Go West!

Almost four weeks ago we sent my (not so) little brother out west with Teen's Camping Tour of the West!  I went out west with TCTW the summer after my junior year of high school and it was finally Seth's turn.  He waited a year longer than I did so he wouldn't miss football workouts before his senior year; but now that he's all graduated and about to head off to NC State, it was his turn to pack his bags and head west. We picked him up on Monday and he showed up like this . . .

For those of you who haven't heard of TCTW, it is a 23 day trip across America, venturing through 21 states just for high school kids!  Its staffed by adults who are college grads with flawless driving records!  You essentially use the time to explore the wonders of America and learn to appreciate its beauty and God's great works.  You hike the Great Sand Dunes and the Grand Canyon, lay down at the 4 Corners, marvel at the heights of the Tetons and the Rockies, toast the coast of Califorina.  The vans turn east and you stop in Wyoming for a rodeo, spend the day in Chicago and take a few dessert drives to bring you back home.  It was honestly one of the best things I've ever done. EVER.  Not only did I see God's handywork that is spread between the coasts of this great country, but I also built wonderful relationships with people I will never forget.  Some of my best friends are the people I spend a month of my summer with in a smelly, hot van. And I am absolutely thrilled that Seth got to experience those same feelings, that same trip, with some of the same staff I had!  One really cool thing:  one of Seth's staff, Kelsey Williams, went out west with me and is still one of my closest friends to this day!  Hopefully after I graduate this year, I will have the opportunity to take some teens west and show them the beauty of God's earth, and help them to appreciate the many blessings we are surrouned with daily.  On that note, Welcome to the TCTW family, SETH.  Can't wait til Stockholders, when I'll get to embarrass him in front of all his new friends!

My trip! All of us before hiking the Canyon!

For those of you interested in learning more about TCTW, check out the website, http://www.tctw.com/, or the Facebook Page!

It's getting late, and as much as I'd love to chat for hours and hours about the TCTW experience, I gotta get some rest . . . gotta teach Zumba in the morning then head to Hyco Lake with some of my favorite people!

For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

-Colossians 1: 16-17