Friday, February 16, 2007

Happy Friday!

Today is one of my very FAVORITE days of the whole entire year! We are all heading out to our Family Life Retreat at one of the most gorgeous places on earth--Camp Sumatanga, a beautiful camp about 40 minutes north of Birmingham, just hitting the rolling hills of the Appalachias.

Trees, streams, rocks,
quiet, no cell phones,
loudness, kids running and playing,
guitars, a crackling fireplace,
a cross on the top of a mountain

Just one of my favorite spots.

(And one of our family's favorite spots. The girls literally ask, as we're leaving our parking spot on Sunday afternoon, when we're coming back.)

We go each year in February with a lot of our best friends from church. We have Bible study, sing worship songs, pray, do communion . .. and also act goofy, play games (Ryan--I'm ready for the 80s Trivia game! I challenge you to a duel!), do Skit Night, laugh a lot. . . and also just have the chance (perhaps most importantly) to get away from everything.

I think we all need that right now!

So... I will be packing the rest of the day and won't be back on my blog until late Sunday night or perhaps Monday morning. (I should have some really good pictures for an update, since it's a place that just lends itself to great photos!)

Until then, a few notes:

* We had so much fun last night drawing a name from the comments to my post on Valentine's Day. Delaney drew a name to receive my RAK (a fun little Valentine's creation that you can fill with our own photos) to... (drum roll please! lol) . . .

Rhonda!!!

(I will pop by your blog, but if you get here first, email me and give me your mailing address. It won't be mailed until Monday, probably, but it will be on its way then! Yay!!!)

* Gary went back to work today. He's going for just half a day, but I hope he makes it okay!

* Anyone local who is interested in Heidi Swapp Calendar Class this coming Tuesday, let me know. It will be at Scrapbook Mania and our first calendar page will be using "mats and frames" (other planned techniques in coming months are things like paint, rub-ons, masks, journaling stencils, etc.).

* Why do I still like to get breakouts, as if I'm still 15 years old??? (Could it have anything to do with the pounds of chocolate I've consumed in the last two days?) ugh!

* Is there anything wrong with eating KFC for breakfast? Not breakfast KFC, but "regular" KFC? Chicken, mashed potatoes, etc. I hope not, because that's what I'm doing right now! (you know, there could be a fried chicken-breakouts connection too!)

Hope you all have a WONDERFUL weekend!!! It's going to be so cold here, so we're also holding out hope that we might see snow at Camp. I have seen it there once, and it was the MOST GORGEOUS I've just about ever seen!

Want to leave you with a few words from the song I've got playing on here today. Just a good song to keep things in perspective. When life gets tough sometimes or when you just feel a little overwhelmed, there's always a Name you can breathe and it can help you through it:

"So many days within this race
I need the truth
I need some grace
I need the path
To find my place
I need some truth
I need some grace
The part of you
That's part of me
Will never die
Will never leave
And it's nobody else's but mine

You are in my heart
I can feel your beat
And you move my mind
From behind the wheel
When I lose control
I can only breathe your name
I can only breathe your name."

That's my hope for you this weekend. Take a deep breath, enjoy yourself, and feel the joy around you.

Love you all! Peace Out!!

26 comments:

Unknown said...

Camp Sumatanga sounds as if it should be located somewhere in Japan. Oh oh ohhhhhhhhh you stole something from Japan!!! That is how wars start, now give them back their camp before you have a lot of angry Asians on your tail!!!!

I would like to apologise to any and all Asians who may read this blog. Alabama people just have no thought for what they do and only think after they have done something wrong and I am sure that Cheryl will sincerely apologise to your honourable and esteemed Asian leaders and their high courts of law.

Harry Chrisna :P

Cheryl Wray said...

Oh Gareth, my boy, you just put a big smile on your face!! LOL!!!
Actually, I think that Sumatanga was named that after some people came back from a trip to Japan and visited a place called Sumatanga. (Seriously... I think you're right!)
And I also would like to seriously apologize for offending anyone on my blog!! We Alabamians don't often stop to think of that! LOL
Love ya, G!! (Even if you are a heathen!!)

Unknown said...

I'm not a heathen!!!!
I prefer to call myself a liberal utopian :D


p.s. what is a heathen??? Hahahahahaha :P

Adrienne said...

Hope you have a fantastic weekend!!!!!

Cheryl Wray said...

Oh Gareth, did I say "heathen" out loud?? I meant to say "leprechaun"! LOL
Adrienne--Oh, we will have a great time I'm sure!!

Cheryl Wray said...

Oh Gareth, did I say "heathen" out loud? I meant to say "leprechaun" Sorry! lol
Adrienne--Oh, we willhave a great time. Thanks!

Anonymous said...

yeah I won something!!!!!!!!
happy Friday to me!!!!!!!
I'm emailing you my snailmail.
Thanks a zillion billion!
Hey...are any of you going to the bama softball games this weekend?

Mississippi Songbird said...

Have a wonderful time! Sounds devine!!!


**hugs**

~Telah said...

Sounds like you are gonna have a great weekend! Enjoy your time together as a family.

Mz.Elle said...

Have the best time,which I'm sure you will. It sounds like a blast!!

And nope nothing wrong with KFC for breaky,lol,nothing!!

Michelle said...

enjoy your family retreat- it sounds wonderful to get away like that!

Congrats to Rhonda on the win!

I have another recipe for polish sausage you will probably like. I really enjoy this dish:
http://www.kraftfoods.com/main.aspx?s=recipe&m=recipe/knet_recipe_display&u1=keyword&u2=kielbasa&u3=**1*6&wf=9&recipe_id=56305

if you can't get this link to work go to: www.kraftfoods.com and in the recipe search box just search for kielbasa. It should be the first one that comes up (Honey Mustard Kielbasa and Potatoes). It's really good!

Phats said...

Alright first off have a great time on your trip! You guys need some good relaxation time I think.

You must have been doing TONS of herky's and Splits last night because we won an ABSOLUTELY huge game!

I want a recount on the draw, wasn't it suppose to be stacked so i would win?

KFC still mad at them for not serving Chicken Livers anymore

Greta Adams said...

i love pizza for breakfast and it has to be cold pizza...no warming it up for me....

have a fun weekend

Anonymous said...

Have a lovely time!! Don't forget the camera

Barb said...

What a fun weekend. I hope you all have a wonderful time. Well, of course you will - how could you not!

Boy, I sure hope there's nothing wrong with having cold KFC from last night for breakfast the next day - I had it this morning! One of my favorite breaksfasts. :-)

Susie Q said...

KFC is the perfect breakfast...as is pizza, roast beef, baked chicken, ham, steak, shrimp...I LOVE *breakfasty* food but for dinner. Now, am I weird??
Have a wonderful time..it all sounds like such a wonderful time. You all deserve it so much.
Take loads of pictures and rest and enjoy each other.

Love,
Sue

Anonymous said...

Cheryl,
Glad to hear G is doing better :)I hope you guys have a very relaxing, enjoyable time at camp..you deserve it after the week you guys have had.
You have the sweetest family:)

Dawn Bibbs said...

Hi Cheryl, I just wanted to stop by and say hi. Hadn't looked in on you in a while. Glad to see things are going well.
Have an awesome weekend!!

Linda said...

That sounds like a little bit of heaven right here on earth. I just love those retreat times.
I'm glad Gary is doing well. Have a great time.

Anonymous said...

Hope you all had a good time! Can't wait to hear about the weekend. Hope Gary is feeling better too! Take care!

Unknown said...

I hope you had a wonderful time at the camp...it sounds like so much fun!!! so cannot wait to see the photos!! glad to hear gary is doing better with every day!!! will checkk in later to see your update!! ciao for now chica!!

Aimeslee Winans said...

Hope your weekend at camp was relaxing and fun, Cheryl! And I hope Gary is getting better every day! *hugs*

savvycityfarmer said...

I think we all need that right now.

Bare said...

I hope you guys had a great time on your trip! Sounds like a great time! How'd ya do on the 80's game? I LOVE that game! :0)

Jo said...

Omigosh, it sounds as if you have really earned your Family Life Retreat. I hope you had a wonderful time!

Josie

the not so "new" mom on the blog said...

Hi Cheryl, it is unlike you to be so quiet (Tuesday already)!!! Hope everything is ok????