SuCo 2013...

One of the highlights of our YEAR is getting to take our RUF students to RUF's national Summer Conference (aka "SuCo") near Panama City, Florida.  It is always a life-transforming week for our students as they join with other RUF's from all over the nation for teaching, worship, discussion, and lots of beach time!  This week always provides our students time for challenging conversations, new relationships to form, and opportunities to wrestle with and learn from the Scripture.

But as an RUF mommy, Summer Conference is great in a different way.  No cooking for a week.  (woohoo!!!)  Time to enjoy catching up with other RUF wives who know exactly what your own crazy life looks like in college ministry.


AND, for our children, it's a week in paradise.  The beach, the pool, lots of kids, sailing and sandcastles... you name it.  Some of you may remember Caroline's friend, Abigail, from the past two Summer Conferences-- they met up again this year, and it was like picking up right where they left off.  (her dad is the RUF campus minister at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville)


Initially, Caroline and Abigail bonded because they happened to have the same "lovey"s.  (here's a picture of them playing lovey-s last year)


And this year was no different.  Such fun little gals.  It was funny watching Abigail trying to figure out throughout the week why Jameson's skin was so dark, too!  (he he)  She'd stare at him and then repeatedly say, "He's so cute!"


What also made this SuCo special was this gal, our niece, Callie, who is an RUF intern at Penn State and among my closest friends.  She was able to stay in our family's little apartment for the week, which was so, so fun!


And I HAVE to say our RUF students are so, SO wonderful.  Really.  Every girl in our group was clamoring to hold Jameson and help ease my load of two children.  (the guys are not all that bad, but let's just say they're not standing in line to help like the gals are...)  :)  I could not be more grateful for their serving hearts as my hands and brain feel constantly full.


Caroline & Abigail being pushed out to sea!


There they go!  They had a blast.


This little guy was sort-of a mini-celebrity this year, since all of the campus ministers knew the amazing way God brought him into our world!  And he surprisingly liked his first time at the beach, too!  (as long as he was in the shade and nowhere near putting his toes in the water- too cold!)  I mean, he's half Haitian, so the beach has gotta be in his blood, right?  :)


It was also Jameson's first time in the pool!  Didn't get many smiles, but didn't get much fussing, either!


Except when Daddy did this...  :)  (hey, it's good for ya, kid!)


What a great guy.


What a great week!