“Way to go and step out of your comfort zone.” said Llama
**Warning***
A long entry...
Miles
Hey, my knight and shining armor, no not really. just kidding. You just missed one of the biggest weeks ever made for us. LVR was quite a trip up there without you and the others. But I made it and the experience was worth while!! I mean it Miles. I can definitely say that this year will go up too being up there with the first year, but not quite. Oh I had fun this year but it doesn’t compare to my first year with you. Just because every single memory, everything I did I always remembered you and your presence. My cabin was hilarious we got really close and by the first day we “trusted” each other with Trigger. Remember him? Well if it weren’t for him then the week would be totally lost... Heh! I’m only kidding. Let me start from the beginning.
The trip down seemed really unreal and very v long. I mean it. The highlight of the bus ride up there was when Kyle, being the stupid person that he is, climbed up a tree, a really tall tree, and got up on top branches and tore a limb that was near the top, which was crazy. The tree literally didn’t look quite right. It was funny because Lisa was cheering him on while Deb and Joel were scolding her because she was encouraging him to go up higher... But other than that the trip up was pointless. I kept on looking back and picturing you sitting in the backseat or coming towards me to sit in the aisle. Anyway on the way up the mountain was long. We had the earliest dinner I have ever had because it was around maybe 3:00p.m. Colorado time at the one McDonald’s that looks really old, you know the one with the arches. Anyway back to the mountain as we neared LVR, I think Lisa could sense something because she felt like we would have talked, but it was total silence while we neared camp as we looked out the window with all the burned parts and green. There was life Miles. When we got to camp it was the most amazing thing on earth!! One of our questions that we had to answer for one of our cabin/counselor times was what gave you hopes? One camper nailed it as the LVR staff had a sign saying Welcome Kansas!!!!! That was it. It gave me hope that everything will be okay, even though there were porta potties and army showers. UGH!! Now I know how Mr. Whitescarver must have felt. Anyway that was the mainly the first day. On the upper fire ring it was totally different. Remember the stage and all its glory. Well it’s all gone. It’s filled with a huge house that will represent the new bathhouse and housing. It looked totally different and another question was with all the bad things that went on, will you lose the memories. I said yeah kind of and I explained about the stage and what its purpose was supposed to be. But I also said that the things that yes the physical thing are lost but not the memories. We had Vespers that night and we all talked about the changes and stuff. And we went to sleep. We had ashes on our forehead because Sunday was Ash Wednesday.
On Monday half of us did ‘low elements’ on the first day and on the second day we did servant events. On one of the days during cabin/counselor time we ended up planting a tree. Okay let me explain it to you Miles. During bible study Warene, Megan’s mom (counselor), said that we needed to find a place where it was ugly and not beautiful. And so we found a place, you guessed it right by a picnic table...Hehe. Anyway we planted the tree and named it ‘Baby Glory’. Here is the best part Miles. We had to do low elements on Monday and so we teamed up with Laughing Llama (say it in Spanish Yama) and Terrific Trigger. You remember Trigger from last year don’t you Milo? He helped me down the mountain. He came down and told me great job. Yeah you’re smiling because I know you remember him. Well he shaved his head. Poor Trigger got sun-burned. Anyway we did all the ‘trust’ things like trust falls and stuff. And guess what Miles. I did it I didn’t do it last year but I did it this year. (I think I trusted Trigger more than Dude), but I let them first lift me upon his eye level and then I let him throw me at eye level and then the final throw up was above his head. It was exhilarating. It was fun and then Llama and Trigger led us to the steps and the ledge where we got a chance to fall at least 5feet into the awaiting people from our cabin. I did four feet and moved up to the big five feet. I'm laughing at what Trigger tried to explain to us how to squeeze our butt cheeks together with an imaginary quarter named George. (If you want to know the story Miles. just say so). Anyway we all made it through the fall. Then we moved on too much bigger things. Like being blind folded and trying to make shapes with a rope. We had to make a triangle and a pyramid which was hard but we got through it. Our next task was to take a friend of ours to the hospital. Let me explain it. We had to use like an 8 string holder thing with a ring that held an egg in the middle of it. We had to hold it taunt so it wouldn’t fall and we had to go through the hospital (which was a tire). We accomplished it the second time. The first time we failed. But the funny part was when we asked questions all Trigger and: Llama would say “that’s all the information that I can give you”. Well. They just told us that we had to get our friend to the hospital before it was too late”. Did I tell you that we had to play a game called I don’t remember but it was a motions game and we played King of the mountain and then we played the bus was broken down and we had to do movements in order to do that. Monday was a good day Miles, except that we had to clean the toilets which were you guessed it. At Buzz group was hilarious. I mean you got a chance to night hike with Joel or stay for Buzz Group. I don’t recall what the topics that the Almighty Josh came up with. He is so annoying I'm sorry Miles if I offend him, but he seems to never want to shut-up and Lisa made a rule that he can speak only for 5min. or less on a topic. But anyway John Kyle was being a little funny that night and he and Josh were arguing about Wendy’s and Burger King and which is the best! Josh got all mad at Kyle, and he got mad at me because I just whispered to someone that Kyle was hilarious.
On Tuesday the Hawks (my cabin) had servant events. We had four other cabins waiting for our projects while the half that did their servant event yesterday did low elements. Anyway we were the only girl’s cabin with three groups of guy cabins. The first choice we finally had to take because the boys’ cabin leaders wouldn’t hear of it Milo. I think you would have truly liked this one, but then again, not really. We had to do the toughest job ever. We even had to get a little dirty. Are you wondering what we did?? Well...hmm...let me end the suspense we had to do a bulletin board. A new one that was supposes to read the theme for the LVR staff and one for our group. Miles that was the hardest thing ever we had to do seriously... Heh!! Anyway yes the dirtiest we got was dirt with glue with a side of glitter. Yes, Amanda and I went to look for rocks which we glued on the wall that said Jesus rocks!! It turned out awesome even though some of the guys were what we called jealous, but you know we waited about ten minutes before us girls got it. It was a fun-filled day Miles. And your favorite person, Josh Grotte, talked at Buzz group again of War and Protesting, Death Penalty, and of course Abortion.
Wednesday we were suppose to hike up Cedar Mountain. It was our day to climb upon it once again, but they switched it to a sunrise hike that wasn’t a frickin’ option on Friday...I can absolutely kill Lisa for it. But it was worth-it. Because of me, our cabin group witnessed a miracle we had what we called “high elements” which are challenge courses that go way beyond the ground. First off lets just say it was kind of got cold that day. And were eating lunch and Lisa just said that we had to do high elements with our cabin group today and we had choices of Ropelling/Rock-climbing, (which you rock-climb I guess), the Dangling Duo (which was supposedly a partner thingy where there were wood and you had to climb up to the top. There was one that is called the “Toothpick” which is a log that is about 35ft. from the ground and the people who were doing was to climb up on the long and jump about five feet to a trapeze bar. Which was scary, but what our group chose was the Vining Zip and I guess it was the part of Kit Kat...but I didn’t want to do it. I turned to Warene and said no I don't want to this. But as always she signed up our group for it. So here I am with another group of girls who have signed up and walking towards it. I looked up where the obstacle was and it was really high. I told Warene that I didn’t want to do it. And she accepted it at first. Basically you were 30ft. off the ground and you had to walk on a wire with ropes all around it. I watched as others did it and I didn’t want to go still. I can tell Miles a little of me wanted to do it or at least try and the other part of me didn’t want to feel the joy. Anyway we were getting down to the last few people from our group. Warene came up to me and said you don’t have to go all the way across you can push yourself to go to the platform and fall down. I was like okay; I’ll at least try and do that. I agreed with Julie and Warene they said you can set your own limits. And so that’s what I did Milo. I went up to Llama (she and Tiki were the one that was running the event while Trigger was doing the ‘toothpick’. We went through the commands and everything and I started climbing up the pole. It was seriously getting cold up there because once I got almost up there at the platform Llama wanted me to do something and I yelled down that my hands are numb and I'm not feeling anything. She gave me encouragement and said keep on going. So I finally made it to the platform I struggled to go to it and when I reached it I sat up there and literally started crying. I sat there and leaned against the pole where I just climbed and cried softly to myself, ignoring everyone who was apparently cheering me on. I sat there cried and when my sobs subsided Llama told me if I wanted I can grab on to the rope and she would pull me downward. She asked me if I wanted to do grab on the rope. So I slowly got up and reached out for the rope and grabbed it. When I felt it through my hands it (I think) gave me the strength to try at least one more rope. So I didn’t let go and fell. I went on to the next rope and to the next. I went slowly across, but half way there I kind of slipped and almost lost my balance, and but I grabbed on the rope and listened to everyone who was saying now come on Allison you can do it pull yourself up. I prayed to God and literally I felt God’s hands settle on me and lifted me back up on the rope. Miles it was an amazing thing. And then I worked across the sucker. I did it. I walked past the rest of the ropes and got to the other side, and I started crying. Tiki asked me if I wanted to go down the zip line and I shook my head no and so Llama lowered me down and I cried all the way down as I felt my cabin all crowd around me and saying congratulations and all of that. Just thinking that I did it and looking back up there I literally didn’t think that I accomplished it. I stood shaking a little while my group did our caws!! It was I think what brought our group together closer than anyone else’s group. Lisa grabbed me in a hug and said why do you always make me cry when I'm up here, and I was just like I don't know…I just don't know. Milo, I wanted you to come and see what I have done. I thought about you on the way down, and everyone else. That was the highlight from the trip Miles!!! We also did the youth-led worship that night. And all of us made butterflies because we were a made anew. And we had the confession and absolution. Which I had last year but this year we were creative in we burned our black hearts that represented our sins and we earned a butterfly a white one at that. What happened was literally made in heaven. Trigger apparently was having a bad day and when he received his butterfly it literally made his day so Trigger. You’re so welcome.
Thursday we just had free-time that means that we basically got a chance to do what we wanted to do, well it was organized free-time. Some of us just played cards, while others went to other high elements, while others went for archery. It was just a day to relax for me after all what happened. Thursday was also the “weeping service” night. This one was the hardest day for me because I pictured you across the room from me sitting while I saw Richard in the doorway (just like last year). But you two weren’t there and it was one of the hardest things on earth. But I made it through and we started the ‘hug fest’ that happens every year at this time of year. I was a made anew. It lasted tell about 11:30. It took that long.
The new day that we climbed the mountain was on Friday Now I know how you felt when it was the sunrise hike because I did it. We had to climb up Cedar in the dark to get there in time to see the sunrise. Our cabin went at 4:15 am but we woke up and started getting ready at 3:40 thinking we’d go out at 4:00. Two strangers from different cabins helped me through the rough spots of the mountain. The good part is that we made it to the sunrise just in time. It was the most beautiful thing on earth. And God created it. Then we went to Manitou Springs and went home. We had Milkstock too (the talent show). It was a good show. At the end though Deb asked us graduates to tell a story about the week and what LVR meant too you. I sat by Trigger again...and sat silently as some of them went. And then I said to myself okay. I’ll go! . So anyway I went down there an explained my actions and said that I had CP, and what happened on the mountain last year(starting to cry) and then explained what happened during the high element and the strength and the courage and the perseverance that God had given me. When I sat back down Trigger just said great speech.
Milo as you can see I survived without you. I'm surprised that I did live without you. My friend Alison asked me to compare it, and I told her I'm not sure. I don't have the answer for it. So I explained it to Janet, Brett’s mom the same thing and she told me it doesn’t matter there both are special because it's not exactly the same thing. And they weren’t the same experience because one big difference was your presence. I kind of mourned for you for a couple of days until I met up with Trigger again. Trigger and I got a lot closer and became some-what friends just like me and you have done. I'm definitely going to miss him and all the others for what they have done for me. I will never forget them. Llama told me and everyone else said you were great you were the inspiration... way to go and step out of your comfort zone.
I got pictures Miles. I’ll show them to you later. I love you...
Alli
A long entry...
Miles
Hey, my knight and shining armor, no not really. just kidding. You just missed one of the biggest weeks ever made for us. LVR was quite a trip up there without you and the others. But I made it and the experience was worth while!! I mean it Miles. I can definitely say that this year will go up too being up there with the first year, but not quite. Oh I had fun this year but it doesn’t compare to my first year with you. Just because every single memory, everything I did I always remembered you and your presence. My cabin was hilarious we got really close and by the first day we “trusted” each other with Trigger. Remember him? Well if it weren’t for him then the week would be totally lost... Heh! I’m only kidding. Let me start from the beginning.
The trip down seemed really unreal and very v long. I mean it. The highlight of the bus ride up there was when Kyle, being the stupid person that he is, climbed up a tree, a really tall tree, and got up on top branches and tore a limb that was near the top, which was crazy. The tree literally didn’t look quite right. It was funny because Lisa was cheering him on while Deb and Joel were scolding her because she was encouraging him to go up higher... But other than that the trip up was pointless. I kept on looking back and picturing you sitting in the backseat or coming towards me to sit in the aisle. Anyway on the way up the mountain was long. We had the earliest dinner I have ever had because it was around maybe 3:00p.m. Colorado time at the one McDonald’s that looks really old, you know the one with the arches. Anyway back to the mountain as we neared LVR, I think Lisa could sense something because she felt like we would have talked, but it was total silence while we neared camp as we looked out the window with all the burned parts and green. There was life Miles. When we got to camp it was the most amazing thing on earth!! One of our questions that we had to answer for one of our cabin/counselor times was what gave you hopes? One camper nailed it as the LVR staff had a sign saying Welcome Kansas!!!!! That was it. It gave me hope that everything will be okay, even though there were porta potties and army showers. UGH!! Now I know how Mr. Whitescarver must have felt. Anyway that was the mainly the first day. On the upper fire ring it was totally different. Remember the stage and all its glory. Well it’s all gone. It’s filled with a huge house that will represent the new bathhouse and housing. It looked totally different and another question was with all the bad things that went on, will you lose the memories. I said yeah kind of and I explained about the stage and what its purpose was supposed to be. But I also said that the things that yes the physical thing are lost but not the memories. We had Vespers that night and we all talked about the changes and stuff. And we went to sleep. We had ashes on our forehead because Sunday was Ash Wednesday.
On Monday half of us did ‘low elements’ on the first day and on the second day we did servant events. On one of the days during cabin/counselor time we ended up planting a tree. Okay let me explain it to you Miles. During bible study Warene, Megan’s mom (counselor), said that we needed to find a place where it was ugly and not beautiful. And so we found a place, you guessed it right by a picnic table...Hehe. Anyway we planted the tree and named it ‘Baby Glory’. Here is the best part Miles. We had to do low elements on Monday and so we teamed up with Laughing Llama (say it in Spanish Yama) and Terrific Trigger. You remember Trigger from last year don’t you Milo? He helped me down the mountain. He came down and told me great job. Yeah you’re smiling because I know you remember him. Well he shaved his head. Poor Trigger got sun-burned. Anyway we did all the ‘trust’ things like trust falls and stuff. And guess what Miles. I did it I didn’t do it last year but I did it this year. (I think I trusted Trigger more than Dude), but I let them first lift me upon his eye level and then I let him throw me at eye level and then the final throw up was above his head. It was exhilarating. It was fun and then Llama and Trigger led us to the steps and the ledge where we got a chance to fall at least 5feet into the awaiting people from our cabin. I did four feet and moved up to the big five feet. I'm laughing at what Trigger tried to explain to us how to squeeze our butt cheeks together with an imaginary quarter named George. (If you want to know the story Miles. just say so). Anyway we all made it through the fall. Then we moved on too much bigger things. Like being blind folded and trying to make shapes with a rope. We had to make a triangle and a pyramid which was hard but we got through it. Our next task was to take a friend of ours to the hospital. Let me explain it. We had to use like an 8 string holder thing with a ring that held an egg in the middle of it. We had to hold it taunt so it wouldn’t fall and we had to go through the hospital (which was a tire). We accomplished it the second time. The first time we failed. But the funny part was when we asked questions all Trigger and: Llama would say “that’s all the information that I can give you”. Well. They just told us that we had to get our friend to the hospital before it was too late”. Did I tell you that we had to play a game called I don’t remember but it was a motions game and we played King of the mountain and then we played the bus was broken down and we had to do movements in order to do that. Monday was a good day Miles, except that we had to clean the toilets which were you guessed it. At Buzz group was hilarious. I mean you got a chance to night hike with Joel or stay for Buzz Group. I don’t recall what the topics that the Almighty Josh came up with. He is so annoying I'm sorry Miles if I offend him, but he seems to never want to shut-up and Lisa made a rule that he can speak only for 5min. or less on a topic. But anyway John Kyle was being a little funny that night and he and Josh were arguing about Wendy’s and Burger King and which is the best! Josh got all mad at Kyle, and he got mad at me because I just whispered to someone that Kyle was hilarious.
On Tuesday the Hawks (my cabin) had servant events. We had four other cabins waiting for our projects while the half that did their servant event yesterday did low elements. Anyway we were the only girl’s cabin with three groups of guy cabins. The first choice we finally had to take because the boys’ cabin leaders wouldn’t hear of it Milo. I think you would have truly liked this one, but then again, not really. We had to do the toughest job ever. We even had to get a little dirty. Are you wondering what we did?? Well...hmm...let me end the suspense we had to do a bulletin board. A new one that was supposes to read the theme for the LVR staff and one for our group. Miles that was the hardest thing ever we had to do seriously... Heh!! Anyway yes the dirtiest we got was dirt with glue with a side of glitter. Yes, Amanda and I went to look for rocks which we glued on the wall that said Jesus rocks!! It turned out awesome even though some of the guys were what we called jealous, but you know we waited about ten minutes before us girls got it. It was a fun-filled day Miles. And your favorite person, Josh Grotte, talked at Buzz group again of War and Protesting, Death Penalty, and of course Abortion.
Wednesday we were suppose to hike up Cedar Mountain. It was our day to climb upon it once again, but they switched it to a sunrise hike that wasn’t a frickin’ option on Friday...I can absolutely kill Lisa for it. But it was worth-it. Because of me, our cabin group witnessed a miracle we had what we called “high elements” which are challenge courses that go way beyond the ground. First off lets just say it was kind of got cold that day. And were eating lunch and Lisa just said that we had to do high elements with our cabin group today and we had choices of Ropelling/Rock-climbing, (which you rock-climb I guess), the Dangling Duo (which was supposedly a partner thingy where there were wood and you had to climb up to the top. There was one that is called the “Toothpick” which is a log that is about 35ft. from the ground and the people who were doing was to climb up on the long and jump about five feet to a trapeze bar. Which was scary, but what our group chose was the Vining Zip and I guess it was the part of Kit Kat...but I didn’t want to do it. I turned to Warene and said no I don't want to this. But as always she signed up our group for it. So here I am with another group of girls who have signed up and walking towards it. I looked up where the obstacle was and it was really high. I told Warene that I didn’t want to do it. And she accepted it at first. Basically you were 30ft. off the ground and you had to walk on a wire with ropes all around it. I watched as others did it and I didn’t want to go still. I can tell Miles a little of me wanted to do it or at least try and the other part of me didn’t want to feel the joy. Anyway we were getting down to the last few people from our group. Warene came up to me and said you don’t have to go all the way across you can push yourself to go to the platform and fall down. I was like okay; I’ll at least try and do that. I agreed with Julie and Warene they said you can set your own limits. And so that’s what I did Milo. I went up to Llama (she and Tiki were the one that was running the event while Trigger was doing the ‘toothpick’. We went through the commands and everything and I started climbing up the pole. It was seriously getting cold up there because once I got almost up there at the platform Llama wanted me to do something and I yelled down that my hands are numb and I'm not feeling anything. She gave me encouragement and said keep on going. So I finally made it to the platform I struggled to go to it and when I reached it I sat up there and literally started crying. I sat there and leaned against the pole where I just climbed and cried softly to myself, ignoring everyone who was apparently cheering me on. I sat there cried and when my sobs subsided Llama told me if I wanted I can grab on to the rope and she would pull me downward. She asked me if I wanted to do grab on the rope. So I slowly got up and reached out for the rope and grabbed it. When I felt it through my hands it (I think) gave me the strength to try at least one more rope. So I didn’t let go and fell. I went on to the next rope and to the next. I went slowly across, but half way there I kind of slipped and almost lost my balance, and but I grabbed on the rope and listened to everyone who was saying now come on Allison you can do it pull yourself up. I prayed to God and literally I felt God’s hands settle on me and lifted me back up on the rope. Miles it was an amazing thing. And then I worked across the sucker. I did it. I walked past the rest of the ropes and got to the other side, and I started crying. Tiki asked me if I wanted to go down the zip line and I shook my head no and so Llama lowered me down and I cried all the way down as I felt my cabin all crowd around me and saying congratulations and all of that. Just thinking that I did it and looking back up there I literally didn’t think that I accomplished it. I stood shaking a little while my group did our caws!! It was I think what brought our group together closer than anyone else’s group. Lisa grabbed me in a hug and said why do you always make me cry when I'm up here, and I was just like I don't know…I just don't know. Milo, I wanted you to come and see what I have done. I thought about you on the way down, and everyone else. That was the highlight from the trip Miles!!! We also did the youth-led worship that night. And all of us made butterflies because we were a made anew. And we had the confession and absolution. Which I had last year but this year we were creative in we burned our black hearts that represented our sins and we earned a butterfly a white one at that. What happened was literally made in heaven. Trigger apparently was having a bad day and when he received his butterfly it literally made his day so Trigger. You’re so welcome.
Thursday we just had free-time that means that we basically got a chance to do what we wanted to do, well it was organized free-time. Some of us just played cards, while others went to other high elements, while others went for archery. It was just a day to relax for me after all what happened. Thursday was also the “weeping service” night. This one was the hardest day for me because I pictured you across the room from me sitting while I saw Richard in the doorway (just like last year). But you two weren’t there and it was one of the hardest things on earth. But I made it through and we started the ‘hug fest’ that happens every year at this time of year. I was a made anew. It lasted tell about 11:30. It took that long.
The new day that we climbed the mountain was on Friday Now I know how you felt when it was the sunrise hike because I did it. We had to climb up Cedar in the dark to get there in time to see the sunrise. Our cabin went at 4:15 am but we woke up and started getting ready at 3:40 thinking we’d go out at 4:00. Two strangers from different cabins helped me through the rough spots of the mountain. The good part is that we made it to the sunrise just in time. It was the most beautiful thing on earth. And God created it. Then we went to Manitou Springs and went home. We had Milkstock too (the talent show). It was a good show. At the end though Deb asked us graduates to tell a story about the week and what LVR meant too you. I sat by Trigger again...and sat silently as some of them went. And then I said to myself okay. I’ll go! . So anyway I went down there an explained my actions and said that I had CP, and what happened on the mountain last year(starting to cry) and then explained what happened during the high element and the strength and the courage and the perseverance that God had given me. When I sat back down Trigger just said great speech.
Milo as you can see I survived without you. I'm surprised that I did live without you. My friend Alison asked me to compare it, and I told her I'm not sure. I don't have the answer for it. So I explained it to Janet, Brett’s mom the same thing and she told me it doesn’t matter there both are special because it's not exactly the same thing. And they weren’t the same experience because one big difference was your presence. I kind of mourned for you for a couple of days until I met up with Trigger again. Trigger and I got a lot closer and became some-what friends just like me and you have done. I'm definitely going to miss him and all the others for what they have done for me. I will never forget them. Llama told me and everyone else said you were great you were the inspiration... way to go and step out of your comfort zone.
I got pictures Miles. I’ll show them to you later. I love you...
Alli