So...I am updating my blog.

I am on the phone and watching Raising Helen and attempting to write simultaneously. I'm not promising this will make sense.

I slept in really late today and then went to run an errand with Kris and then we went and sat at Starbucks and drank tea. She read Frankenstein out loud to me. I like being read too, lol. However, it probably isn't the best because I can't make comments in the text. I am really liking this book- and hating it at the same time. Its crazy how well Mary Shelley writes it with people telling stories inside of other people telling stories inside of other people telling stories. But the story itself is really sad. really sad. OOOh- speaking of good books I am excited for the new Nicholas Sparks book!!! Woohoo! Although his last couple ones haven't been all that great to me.

Sorry my blogs are so short lately. I am enjoying school, but its been a lot of work. I start working the week after next I think. And in the mean time I am going to do my best to do some temp work in Bellevue. Arivederci. LOVE YOU ALL!

I had my second Italian quiz today...and I want to cry. I got an A on my first one (bairly), and I'm thinking maybe a C on this one. Infact, I'd almost rejoice over a C! I missed my bus yesterday, so I missed my class yesterday, so I missed the review yesterday! Yep. So, although I worked (and have been working) really hard on learning it all...I never guessed that there would be a bunch of geography on there! Yep! We did something in class the day before yesterday where we talked a bunch about Italy and its geography so I should have known it might be on the quiz. All that to say: yes, me. crying. OKay, not on to the rest of my homework. I have about an hour of being home alone left and I really need to take advantage of it! Love ya.

I want to shoot myself in the stomach...AAAWH!
Thought I would just share that, lol.

So apparantly there are some readers who feel that I am random, that I write like I talk, that I talk random. Hmm. Thats interesting to note. (Uhum, Jason...and Kim). Sorry, something in my throat. Well, I will try to keep that in mind as I journey through my past few days for you. Because of this new concern, I will infact use the best ordering format I know-I will number my specific thoughts for you so as not to tire anyone as we transfer from one to next.

1.) I am in major pain right now, I left class early.
2.) I have my first midterm. It is a take home test which I received last Friday and will be due this Friday. I should work on it some more. I have already done a portion of it, and I have yet to write 3 seperate 1-page essays on 3 of the 6 specific texts.
3.) I am also in process of writing my first paper. The rough draft was turned in last friday and the final will be due next monday. I am writing about Plato's opinion of poetry not being an art and why he believed it should not be looked to for wisdom. I like writing, but it was a lot harder to get into then I had expected- mainly because it has been so long since I have written that type of a paper/ essay. Oh, I better be careful not to run on too long about this, huh Jason? Ooops, sorry- my hand slipped on the keyboard- random chance that it happened to type that name.
4.) I also took my first Italian quiz, which I studied really hard for. I got a 91.5% I was happy. I AM happy.
5.) I want to study in Italy this spring, or next spring. I think it would be incredible and the UW has a program which I can earn my 15 credits this spring quarter in Rome!!!!
6.) I need to e-mail Chris Ruff because I am going to start working at UIEvolution again.
7.) I am doing laundry...now that was a bit random huh? Kim, Jase, you two okay? You still following? Alright.

Just having some fun ;)

I LOVE YOU GUYS!!!!!
XOXOXOXOXO

<3 Katrina Hope

So here is my post-

WHEN YOU LEAVE A COMMENT, SIGN YOUR NAME AT THE END!!! (mom, dad, and sometimes kris) you are driving me MAD!

-kATI
(see ^ its easy, and it lets people know who the heck is talking)

Ciao! Mi chiamo Katrina. Sono di Seattle. Sto benissimo!

Okay, so its not mind blowing, but it hasn't yet been a week, lol. Just you wait, I will be your little Italiano Bella! hehe.

I really should actually get to my homework. Whoever said that MCs improves your study skills, was wrong. I am way worse now at getting my homework done than I EVER was!

I dyed my hair, its dark brown now. Its not much darker than my real color in winter, it just looks kind of extreme because it covered the highlights I had. I'll try to get a picture up so you can see.

I have home group tonight, I am going to Dustin and Misty's homegroup, and I am house sitting for the Ruffs for this week and I need to make sure I atleast stop by there on my way to homegroup. This is why I must go and do my homework! LOVE YOU!

Alla prossima!
(until next time)

So, I have my final schedule. I am taking the two english classes- the requirements for declaring your major in English. And now I am officially taking Italian- yeeehaa! I am very excited. I thought I would just keep you all posted on that. I have a nice schedule: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday I have all 3 classes and I'm there from 9:30-12:20. not bad at all. And Tuesday I only have Italian, 11:30-12:20. Thursday I have Italian and a quiz Section for one of my english classes so I am there from 11:30-1:20. Yep, I know. Thats pretty much the coolest schedule ever if you ask me, plus I am spending my days studying literature, writing, and the Italian language..."If this is torture, chain me to tha wall" (I know atleast Kris just got that quote!) However, I am finding its really not a walk in the daisies by any means- and by that I don't just mean it is challenging intellectualy (which it is), I am just suprised by how outright vicious one of my professors is to Christianity. I knew to expect it, I am in one of the most liberal colleges of an incredibly liberal university, but I expected it to be a little more masked. I actually teared up in class yesterday. First I was just furious with my professor (he was lecturing and we could respond in any way really to anything he said...he just sat there and blasphemed God infront of a captive audience, and completely disrespected Christians and accused believers as being mindless dummies who just 'do what they're told.') But then I started to feel really sorry for him and I started crying when I realized he is going to be held responsible for what he is saying, and who he may be leading away right now. He called God a "moral imbasol." So yeah, I was suprised by how deeply it struck me and drained me to just sit and listen to that lecture. I was soooooo incredibly torn apart inside, not because I was doubting anything I believe. I could tell several points where he was twisting the book of Job, what he was using as his base according to literature, and even where he was saying point blank lies about the book. Ugh. It was frusterating as hell- you all know how I can get fired up and be so freakign stubborn, and also how sad it can make me to know how deep someone's pain is going to be. After the class it keeps plaguing me how the Lord's heart must be breaking for this man. Man. Well, we started the very begining of my college career considering 'justice' in reference to the Greek gods with Odysseus in the Odyssey, and God with Job in the book of Job. I don't know but I walked into my discussion group that morning with quite a bit of confidence knowing that I stood as an 'expert' on those two books when compared to my class and that I could discuss it with anyone of them in that room. I was incredibly grateful for CCA, and for the Lord's faithfulness that He would prepare me the way He did and place me right into that specific situation. I was praying through my whole discussion time these past couple days. It comes in pretty handy to actually know the author of the book, it helps give you an inside view of the deeper meaning and purpose of whats written. I actually had a huge realization in that class about the book of Job, a book that has always puzzled me. You can ask me if you want to hear it, I am pretty excted about it, it may not be 100% right, but it was a cool new perspective to me. I LOVE YOU ALL and I should go do a little homework and get ready, I am heading over to the Ruffs in about a half an hour. Oh, it looks like I will be starting to work at UIE again, under Chris in the marketing department. :) I am TIRED. (Oh, I am listening to some lovely music by the way right now-thought I'd share that.)
XOXO

First Day of College!!!

I am going to attempt a brief update because I had the fancy to reorganize my desk and I am in the middle of that project...in other words there is junk all over my bed and floor right now!

So, today was my first day of classes at the U. Yep. And also my last day, of those classes. In between some of my classes I went in and talked with an undergraduate advisor, and she was so incredibly helpful! You see after my composition: literature class I was pretty frusterated and confused. The entire class looked like an elematary Rhetoric class, the objective was learning to write a persuasive paper....a review in which he assumed we knew nothing of. I knew I could just take the class and get, not an 'easy A' (there were a ton of papers to write!), but an A. Or I could choose to not be irritated the entire quarter and instead go learn something new. I know at least one of you is going to call me a snot for saying that, but it was true and after one class I was wondering if I should really be spending my time in that class. And Drama? Yeah. When I told her a little bit and that I wanted to be an English major she told me those weren't classes I needed to be taking, or really even should be. I told her what I had heard about Engl. 197, and 202 and she told me that indeed they are the prerequisites for declaring your major in English, and also that the 197 would fulfil the same requirement as my Engl. 111 class- so I didn't need to be in that! We got online and lo and behold---- Engl. 197 and 202 were open! YIPEE!!! (I had been checking almost daily this past week.) Someone had dropped them. So, we dropped my fig and my math class (it was at the same time as my new english class...plus she told me I really didn't need to be in a business math class). So!!! I now have a new schedule...a better schedule....with better classes...and I am sooo excited! The advisor that worked with me was sooo sweet and helpful, and she spent a lot of time with me, explaining and looking things up, even making phone calls. I loved that she took TIME and didn't seem rushed at all, even though there were lots of others. She was so helpful, and at the end she gave me her card and told me to come back if I like next quarter about registering..I am definitely going to go back to her.

My first day was good. The bus was relatively easy, okay REALLY easy, and the people on it were for the most part all relatively normal. Most were students or heading to UVillage.

I also picked up this one other class, we'll see about it. Its about Environmental Studies, lol. Oh well, I decided it would be fun to do something new and it fills requirements I need, and fits well into my schedule. ;)

So....thats about it. Oh..thats wonderful, when I started this I had a terrible headache, but its almost gone!

Love you all, books and books full. (hehe.)

I have been accused of neglecting my blog. I suposse it is true. Well, here is life as best as I can in words. I begin classes at the U on Wednesday, tomorrow I have the big job ahead of me of filling out my FAFSA and going down to Shmitz to talk to someone in the financial section to figure out student loans. yep. Next year I want to get more aware of scholarship opportunities. I also need to buy my books, ugh. Oh, my schedule. Well, as of now I am taking Composition- Literature, Algebra w/ Applications (business math i think?), and Introduction to Theater, as well as a community life class (for 2 genereal ed. credits). I might drop all of those but the math and pic up two other english classes if I can get in (right now they are full), because they are required to declare my major in english. I am still debating if I want to do that anyways yet, I might wait till next quarter and hopefully they will be offered. Also, next quarter I want to start taking Italian. You are required to take a foreign language for a year at the U. Youc an test out of it and Latin is considered as a foreign language so I could take it, or try to study up and test out of it. I might do that, but I doubt it because I haven't taken it for 2 years already, by then it will be nearing 3 years! We'll see though. Plus, I really would like to take Italian...but I guess if I could save myself the time and money it would be worth testing out of, or atleast taking a shot at it. By the way, I found out the book we went through in high school is a college course for Latin, Patrick Henry University actually uses that very one. Hehe, glad they told me now. In high school they told us how the Michigan classical school does it in 8th grade- boy did I feel dumb. :)


What else? Oh, I started taking SLT (Strategic Life Training). I am excited. We had the Intensive last week, and that was A LOT of teaching! It shouldn't be too time consuming, and I really like having that pouring into me with all of the other things that will be poured into me at the U. I'm sure some continual biblical thought and reminders that I need to love people will be good for me. :)

It sure has been crazy jumping right out of MCS and into a completely new life..nothing like high school. I'm still trying to find a good afternoon job, I had a couple interviews but it was pretty much impossible until I knew what my class schedule would look like, which wasn't until the 20th!
Guess what else. I am going to start taking the bus to commute to the U. Last week driving back and forth for 3 days was all I needed to convince me. But I am still pretty freaked out, I have taken a bus like once before..and NEVER alone! I am totally freaked out that i will fall asleep (because I can really easily) on my way in early one morning and wake up in like Issaquah! LOL> YIKES!

Well, there is a quick, or not so quick, glance into life right now. I love you all alot! ALOT, ALOT! You can all be praying for me to find the perfect part time job, and for me to find my books, and my classrooms, lol. I am super nervous for school. 300 is about 290 more students than I am used to sharing a class with! I know its all in God's hands, and I am doing my best to just be at peace, and rest in Him. I am definitely in a very exciting, and stretching time right now. I am so grateful for you in my life and the blessing that you are to me! Love you! (pray for me, please!) Love you, kati

I had been waiting for a request to write a new emtry. :) I couldn't update the last few days at my house parents because the computer was having problems. And since then it seems kinda silly to write since everyone at home see's me all the time now, and I have talked to kim about every day, at least once.

Yes, I am now an MC graduate. ;) I have a ring. I am almost all unpacked, and we have been fixing a few things that have long needed to be fixed- for instance the window and blinds in the down stairs room. Also, we are working on making the bathroom fit Kris and I and look nice. I cleaned today- the bathroom and my bedroom. I also had coffee with dad for a little bit at 3rd Place Books, and went shopping with mom for the things for my room and for Kim's BBQ (plates, napkins, and cups- I picked green.) I watched a movie with the girls, and now I am in my pajamas checking my e-mail and blog before bed.

Tomorrow is the girls first day of school. I am going to make them pancakes. Mom, dad and I are going to Maltby :) hehe. Them I am hoping to mow the lawn and update my resigme. Also, we should be able to pick the window up and put it back. Then I get to pick Kim and Jason up at the airport tomorrow night!!! YIPEE!

Oh dear, I just was eating a brownie and ice cream and I feel grose. I need to work my appetite back up- I don't like food much right now. I also need to start exercising again! Hmm, what else? Oh, I saw Pirates II, and I was not a fan :( I didn laugh prety hard at a few parts though, but overall I was bugged by the movie....it was no way near as good as the first, and I am hoping the 3rd redeems itself. Well...I am off to bed here pretty soon. Love you!!!

So..I just signed covenant! I am so excited right now. It was such a wonderful day and night. I have been scared all year to sign covenant. BUT as Pastor Kevin read it out loud to us in the park, my eyes filled with tears and my heart filled with peace. That is who I am, who I want to be, and the legacy I want to leave. I have looked at it with the fear of whether or not I can hold up to it, but today that perspective completely changed. I am excited, not scared. I am grateful to have something to stand on for who I want to be already. Its not about the covenant(you know what I mean), the covenant is a tool for me to be who I am. I am so excited for you guys all to see my covenant on the wall along with Kim's and Kris's. The last Kelly girl. :) I love my covenant, it is true and simple. I love you all!

Kim comes in 8 days!!!! I am soooo excited!!! I am so crazy to see you two! As it gets closer and closer I almost can't handle it...if it weren't for all the awesome things I am in the midst of right now I would go crazy! I LOVE YOU ALL!

All my love,
Katrina Hope

Kim, are you kidding me? The 31st. ?

Family Camp is over. Kim, you are right..nothing compares with that year at camp..though it wasn't last year- it was actually two years ago already. Family Camp was pretty fun, but very tiring for some reason. In Champions today we had a massive water balloon fight with all the kids, and I think that was a highlight of camp for me. Each team had two captains, and I was a co-captain for one. I think us MCs (there were like 7 of us involved in the water balloon fight) ended up way wetter than any of the kids. The guys had filled up regular sized balloons with water which they used..and we ended up breaking those on each other and dumping huge buckets on one another. The first like 3 minutes was Capture the Flag...then it just became hit the other team..than it morphed into...hit SOMEONE. It was really fun, and I was soaking litterally from head to toe after Tyson and Ryan had both dumped several buckets over my head...but don't worry Morgan and I (the two girls) held strong and definitely dished it out...Ty, Ry, and Ricky especially all walked off soaking too, as well as Bry and Aaron. It was a blast! One week today! I am going to pack up a bunch tomorrow...probably all that I can. I LOVE YOU ALL! I can't wait to see you Kim and Jason...I miss you both soooo much! Kim, no Trace Atkins...I think you forgot something important you invited several people to on the 31st! lol??

Yesterday was a full day..fun, but it had its own challenges and was draining. Today we finished up writing our covenant. Tonight it is going through its final grammar revision. We already have the format pretty finalized too. I am excited about how it has come out and I am waiting to see what Pastor Kevin says about it. He will get his first look at it tomorrow. Tomorrow is the first day of Family Camp! I am staying with Aime at the Morrils...I think we are gonna sleep in the back of her Xterra. :) Yeahhhh, Family Camp! Bon fires, lots of late talks, stories, and laughs (wait..11 o'clock curfew??), swimming, soccer, cards, nerds. Oh, I am sooooo excited! Yep. Our dance I am in is really fun and long, we will be doing it Sunday morning. There is also a really cool one that the guys are gonna do that has like dancing, rythm, and 'acting'- I don't know much about it, but Todd, Ry, Evan, Rob, and Bryan are all in it and they say its the coolest thing we've done. I think it will be pretty fun to see.

I have 12 days till graduation!!! 5 of which are Family Camp! CRAZY!

I have been sleeping so much lately, and I am still SOOO tired. Ty said its because I'm probably really emotionally drained. Yesterday we worked on our covenant writing as a class from 3 till about 8:30 pm!!! Yep! Drain. But still awesome. We are pretty much to our final draft, at least as far as content. Today I cme home and took a nap for a couple hours, and I have been getting to bed by 10 each night, 9:30 even one night. Friday night I slept for about 11 hours! Anyways, theres that and I am fighting a pretty nasty cold..and I am pretty certain something else, but it could just be the result of nerves from all that is going on. I love you all!

I wish I had some new pics to post. Hmm, maybe I'll ask Todd or Riss to send me some pics. I know Riss and I took some funny ones today.

Well, we are well into writing our covenant and it is definitely tough, but I am so loving how it is turning out. I have a total peace about it and I know that the Lord is so helping us. Aunt DeeAnn encouraged us to be 'simple and true' rather than trying to be all idealistic and poetic. I think ours is coming out that way. We are seeking for it to be very real, matter of fact, and true to our hearts. I think it also sounds pretty beautiful. :) Simplicity is beauty to me. Tomorrow we will be working on it again, and by the end of our time together we will hopefully have our mostly final draft so all we have left for Tuesday is the visual and structural to decide.

Morgan came up with a pretty cool idea for our class pictures today on the ride home. I think she is going to pose it to the class, and I really hope they adopt the plan. Also, they are working on our graduation dance and we'll learn that when we get back from Family Camp.

We are learning a dance for family camp right now, its really fun and exciting. I actually start the dance...so I hope you all are there ;) lol. I am actually kinda freaked out about it, but I am also excited because its a chance to finish strong since I started out the year so freaked out about dancing in front of people and hating being in the front....well now I litterally invite all the people on the stage to come dance with me. Its a cool dance too!

Well...I am really tired and hope I get to go to bed early tonight, but we will see. We should be having dinner soon. I love you all....

...and I especially appreciate what you wrote dad! I was waiting to hear from you guys.

ALL MY LOVE, Katrina Hope

Well, not that I really have super exciting things to write about, but I am at home alone and I feel like writing. So, rather than writing to myself like I normally would, I decided to let you all in on this. I have been crying. Not right now, but the past couple days I have had no defenses and things have been pricking my heart, like they used to. I haven't cried much this year...well I have, but at the same time I have felt pretty "tough" since I haven't cried nearly as much as I would have thought. In fact, I don't really like that. I hate people seeing me cry, and I am always around people..i think thats why. But, even still, I don't like feeling hard and insensitive. Most times this year I have been wanting so badly to cry and on the inside I am breaking apart, but on the outside there is nothing. It was so frusterating to me. I think maybe the shift came that night in Boston. It hasn't been bad tears the past couple days, I have just been really moved by things and really sensitive to what the Lord has been speaking to me. This is a pretty crazy time right now, and a lot is going on inside and out of me- not to mention all around me. I love you all a lot, and I miss you guys tons! Tomorrow I am hoping to go to the UW Undergraduate Admissions Office and begin doing what I need to, to register for my classes!!!

Hey...I'm BAAACK. ;) Wow....yep, Kim's right, that was pretty much heaven for me. Most likely my favorite week all year. It was also one of the hardest though. There were a couple girls in particular who my heart just broke for and its so hard to pour into them and let them so into your heart and then just say goodbye. There were two girls in particular, Hannah who was in my cabin but went home like the second day because she was too homesick (and she was supossed to come back for each day, but only came back once) and then a little 8-year-old girl named Lillie who I got to lead to the Lord. Both opened up to me a bit about their families and my heart broke. Hannah was pretty inpenetrable..or so it appeared, but there were a couple things that showed me that she really was letting me in. Before Hannah's mom came to pick her up, I got to pray with her to receive the Lord into her life. Her parents are going through legal things and she can't really talk to her dad, and its just really rough. There are other things I am pretty sure about her too that she never told me, but I pieced together. I just so wanted her to know how much the Lord loved her. And then little Lillie, who wasn't in my cabin but raised her hand in one of the evening meetings to receive Jesus and I got to pray with her and her little friend Kennedy. BOTH ADORABLE. Well, Lillie also told me about her family and how her dad is remarried and lives in Montana and just her different thoughts and feelings about it. Oh, that girl. Then, I got to pray for her last night and after a bit I opened up my eyes and just looked her straight in the eyes as I was praying for her and speaking identity into her, and I began crying and I told her it was a good reason I was crying because I was so glad I got to pray with her to receive Jesus into her heart and tell her how much he treasures her, and told her how God sees her as His daughter, and how he wants to to talk to her and listen to her and will never miss a game. Ahh, man. Thats why it was tough too. My heart is so broken for those girls. In worship at Chapel last night I couldn't help but cry and Kate walked up to me and asked me why I was crying and I said it was okay. I held myself together mostly during worship (just a few quiet tears) but as soon as it was done and i knew i could sneak out- I got out of the chapel and went behind one of the cabin and cried so hard, it really hurt. My heart was so breaking for Hannah, and Lillie, and Kate and Kolleen, and all the other girls like them that I've known. And part of me wanted to ask the Lord to take away that burden that He gave me for young girls who are so hurt, because I sometimes doubt how my heart breaking for them can help to change anything in their life. I don't know what I can really do for them, especially in just one week. I have had this burden growing in me, probably forever. And on several occasions it has built up to a painful sobbing, where I release it just enough to bear it and then I can't cry any more and it wont go completely away. I have seen it with kate and kolleen, and with Jeannie, and with others. I told the McCuens last week when I met with them that I know I am called somehow to help young girls who have been hurt and broken, though I don't really understand how or when. Lou Engle came and spoke with us back in January and I will always remember one thing he told us, "Tears lead you to your destiny." I know I found some pieces of my destiny last night.

There isn't much to write since I am at home....but, I graduate in about a month (4 weeks and 4 days). Soccer camp is next week....then we write covenant...then family camp....the graduation week! Crazy!!! Love you!

Kimmy, Kimmy. Yes, you are a bit out of the loop. lol. Crossfire, my old team has a tournament next weekend, and I am all signed up for the summer stuff so that I can play in any of the summer tournaments or games that I can make. Next week (today) the Wessels will be out of town until I get back from soccer camp, which leaves we for a week to stay somewhere else. I was supossed to be staying with the Mayes, but I asked Pastor Sean if it would be alright if I went home for the week and he said he didn't see a problem with that, and sent me to Ross Baker who is in charge of housing- Ross called the Mayes and got it okayed for me to stay at home this week...so I don't know where I am sleeping, but I will be going home TODAY and staying until soccer camp! Thats one week, plus one night! I am very excited.

And about us being spoiled- we worked a lot while we were there, especially Registration, we were the first ones there and the last to leave. We worked 14.5 hours, 13 hour, and 11.75 hours days..yesterday, Todd worked Reg all day (6am-1:30pm, and then tsg strike till 9pm!) Whats kinda sad (for everyone else) was that about 15 of us got lucky and didn't get put on strike, and we got off at about 3:30pm yesterday...and pastor sean got us tickets to Universal Studios for the Microsoft party!!!! It was really fun, and we had been told everyone else from kirkland would be able to go too after they got off, but because they got off too late they didn't get to, and I felt REALLY bad. :( Kim, you have to remember that we do tsg set up and strike now (take down all the computers and held pack everything up to be shipped!) so we have usually a couple days before the conference starts and those days we don't work as late....we were the only group here for the first 3 days (for set up), and then the conference was so huge we had 250 MCs working it under Mrs. Mitchell! It was pretty crazy! Reg was pretty great, boring, but great. I read a lot,,,actually Todd caught up to me in my book and read out loud..it kept us both awake, I have like 20 pages left and then I will be finished with it! Mara joined us yesterday too (she had just read the book so didn't mind coming in late). Her and Todd took turns reading it out loud...I LOVE being read to, and they both are drama people so they read really expressively! It was hard to stay awake sometimes though.

Last night at Universal Studios we went on this short roller coaster called "The Mumy" and I ended up closing my eyes through the whole thing because I was expecting it to be really scary (like the Mummy haunted house you took me through dad at LA Universal and I cried...yeah, still scarred). It ended up being a really short ride though and it wasn't that freaky...like I love the roller coaster aspect, but I thought that the stuff you see (its all inside in the dark..its kinda liek Indiana Jones, but grosser!) would freak me out. When we got off we found they take pictures and it was really funny, because I am clinging to Connie's arm with my eyes closed,,,,it was pretty great. lol. It was fun. And Jaws is much better in the dark by the way cus you can't see the shark in the water, and you can't see it as clearly when it comes out at you so it looks more realistic..plus its dark and you are in this little boat in the dark..thats freaky in and of itself. Jewel was performing last night too. Hmm, I think I am gonna go swim now..I am mostly packed up and we have to check out at noon, so I want to get a little swim in first. I love you all!!!

Mom and Dad, and Kris..I will try to call, but hopefully one of you get this today...I need to be picked up at the church if at all possible tonight around probably 10:30pm or so- I'll call you before we get on the plane, and then also when we land. I am really excited to be home for a week!

ALL my love!
Kati Lady

I love reading your comments :) They make me smile, and tear a little. I just woke up from a nap and everyone is either in, or just getting out of the pool. Tonight is the first night I think that I haven't gone in the pool. Thats the great thing about travelling with crazy kids like myself- I never have to swim alone, lol. First thing Morgan and I did when we checked into our Orlando hotel (the Peabody..look it up, its incredible!!!) was strip, put on our swim suits and run to the pool- i aint kidding..she jumped in the closet and i jumped in the shower to change because we didn't want to wait for jess to WALK our of the bathroom. Then we RAN down to the pool and jumped in, it was at least 10 minutes before the firsts were able to come down to swim with us. LOL. Its been great. In the evenings here we gather (those who want to) at the pool and Jeff Mitchell reads a bit from the bible, we might talk about it a little, then we just sing acapella, people just leading out from one song to the next, and then we end by praying. Its so great- Kim it reminds me of when we found that youth group out worshiping that evening in Nashville and we just sat by and listened and talked for atleast an hour. Some people we sitting near by us doing just that.

So, to fill you in, I had a good flight, I slept for the duration. We spent the first night in one hotel, doing laundry and went out to eat in groups, and of course- went swimming. The place had 3 seperate pools, so a bunch of us missed each other on accident, lol. Then we had our hang out day, and because all the theme parks were so expensive and wouldn't offer a group discount, we just hung out. A bunch of us went miniature golfing, it was so fun! We had like 5 groups of 4, or maybe even more. Pastor Kevin was the overall champ, we found out he worked at a miniature golf course when he was 17- lets just say he annihilated us all!

Then we checked into our hotel here early afternoon and swam like ALL day, it is so hot, and the pool feels awesome! Dad- you would be in the pool! Then, around 6 we all showered and changed and met down in the lobby and we took a trolly to an awesome outlet mall!!! Yeah- it rocked and I spent money I told myself I wouldn't. Sorry :( I just bought a pair of jeans at the Lucky outlet!!! Yep, $40. And a pair of sunglasses (which I needed) at the Fossil outlet for $10, and a soft case for them for $5. And a new watch band for $8. OOO, and a cute pair of girls boxers at Gap (since Kim has mine in Nashville), and a cute sweeter/shirt.

So, right now its 9:15pm, and I am in the lobby, kind of. I am on the recreational level indoors, which is kind of like a balcony to the lobby- where a man is down on the grand piano & singing...there is a man down there each night. Its so wonderful, and you can hear the water from the fountain in the middle. Each day they march 5 ducks in which stay from 11 to 5 in the fountain in the mane lobby. Then they go back to the 'duck palace' out by the 4 tennis courts! lol. I haven't gotten to see it yet cus we are always at the conference center during those hours.

We have been doing tsg set-up the last 3 days, and badge and binder builds. We were the only group, but other groups began arriving today and the actual conference begins tomorrow. I am in registration at a kiosk with Todd.

I love you all so much and miss you tons. I don't get to write as much here because there are not computers down in the lobby like in Boston. Tonight, Jozi was super sweet to let me borrow her lap top. I will try to write again. I have the best family! Please keep leaving comments, they make me smile! I miss you tons and there is a chance i may need to stay at home for the week directly following this conference. (so from next sunday till the 31st, which would work out really well for the tournament, hehe).

Love you all TONS and TONS!
Katrina Hope