Summer Plans

I have realized over the past two weeks that I have not been communicating well with my family and close friends about our summer plans.  I would mention something casually, and get this response: "Whaaaaaa? Really?  I had no idea!"

So, congratulations.  You are about to get the Castille low-down.

First, I'm gonna flip my tassel and graduate!  Whoop!  This day has been long in coming, but the end is now in sight. 

The day after graduation, hubby and I will board a plane with our team and fly halfway across the world for a two-week mission trip in Milan, Italy.  We are in the throes of planning now, and many of you will soon receive a letter in the mail with more details.  (Yay for "real" mail! :) )  Alternatively, (or additionally) you can join our Facebook group by clicking this link and requesting an add. https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/316736331710419/ The plan is to post regular trip updates both before and during the trip.  What could be better than up-to-the-minute updates, right?  (FYI, I will basically be posting the same blogs here and there, mainly so that people have options.  However, husband will post some thoughts of his own on the facebook page that will not show up here.)

After Italy, we're not giving ourselves much time to recover from jetlag.  One day after chasing the sun back across the Atlantic, we'll be loading up our little Camry with a summer's worth of stuff and pointing our noses north to Colorado's YMCA of the Rockies! Our church and other GCM churchs are sending students and staff to an amazing leadership training (LT) program that lasts 10 weeks. Students will work a full-time job at a top-rated YMCA family camp and experience a summer of growth with the Lord through mentoring, awesome teachings, and friendships...all while looking at views like this:

  Yeah.  :D

We WILL have internet, although my cell service might be spotty at best. I'm planning to blog frequently enough that you won't have to worry that I got eaten by Smokey the Bear.