California Women's Retreat and Aunt Fest

So this weekend I went on my very first Women's Retreat in California at the Redwood Christian Park in Boulder Creek. It was a beautiful place and very quiet and peaceful, very much like a place should be to "retreat" to. I needed that too!

We spent the Friday traveling there, meeting up with my cousins, and picking people up for the retreat. I got to have breakfast with my cousin Drew and his girlfriend Victoria. I then went from breakfast to lunch with the group of gals we were going to the retreat with: Margie (my dad's neighbor growing up), Marlene (my uncle Roger's sister), Kiersten (Marleen's daughter), and of course my Aunts. It was fun getting to meet all those people, but the one lady I was so touched by was Margie. (That's here and I with her owl "Hootie" below).




First of all it was just awesome that I got to meet the lady that used to babysitt my dad when he was little. I tried getting some stories out of her but she couldn't remember any. Shoot! And Margie was just the funniest, kind hearted, spunky Grandma I have ever met. I hope that when I get to be her age that I am exactly the same way. Its hard to find someone who has lived through as much as she has and still see joy in them. You know that has to be God.

At the retreat we had an amazing speaker named Lori Saleirno. She was a very good speaker, spoke boldy about God's truth, and wasn't afraid to share the gospel with anyone. She had some great stories to tell. On the last night she had all the women who had children, grandchildren, neices and nephews come up and pray for them on their knees. She made a very valid point that the generations coming up after us are further and further away from a relationship with Jesus, and as a result we are seeing a lot more violence, sex, drug use, etc...become almost out of control. I think its awesome to be reminded that as our role as women we should be on our knees praying for our kids, grandkids, neices and nephews everyday that they will know the Saviour of their souls, the God that so dearly loves them and wants to know them.

My first Women's Retreat was an awesome experience and how awesome it was that I got to experience it with my two very cool aunts, and my new friend Margie! I have conquered my fear of large groups of women...now onto my next fear...clowns...



Above is a good lookin' group of ladies...me, my Aunt Bonni, Margie, and my Aunt Kathy.



Above is me sitting on a bench with spiders on it at the boardwalk in Santa Cruz.



The Gals from the retreat



I also got to see my cousin Ross and his wife Jessica on my way back to the airport, and spend some time with my Uncle Roger too. We ate at a fancy country club after shootin' nine holes...just kidding, we didn't golf, we just ate.