suco...

It was our 15th year of taking students to RUF's national Summer Conference (known now as "SuCo") on the beautiful beach near Panama City, Florida!

The group of students we took this year was probably our most diverse one yet, not just racially, but spiritually as well.  Everyone seemed to come with different backgrounds, which we love.  We had believers and non-believers.  We had Liberty Students and Sweet Briar girls.  We had a group of people who, going into this trip, didn't really know each other all that well.

 But after a 12 hour road trip to join up with other RUF groups from across the country for a week of teaching, seminars, small groups, worship, and lots of free time on the beach, it was amazing to see friendships formed and a group that bonded together.  

Lots of good life-changing Gospel and worldview conversations were being had all week.  One of our girls came to understand God's grace for the very first time.

our volleyball team

 From the family perspective, SuCo is unquestionably Caroline's favorite week of the entire year.  So much so that I keep pulling her out of school for the week in order to go. (and will continue as long as I can!)

But this year, both of the kids started running fevers and were not at their best.  Sooo, we spent alot of indoor resting time in our room this year, but the kids still pushed themselves to enjoy a bit of fun time around the water.

 (and even when she's sick, my child still seems to be the Pied Piper of children...)

silly guy

alopecia gals!

One of the highlights of the week was meeting a student named Katie from Wisconsin who also has alopecia!  Like every person we've ever met with alopecia, Katie was one of the sweetest, most genuine people ever and we had an instant connection with her.  I think she said she lost her hair around 11(?? maybe it was later than that...) and it was inspiring to hear about her journey of wearing wigs to now embracing bald as beautiful.  Her alopecia comes and goes, (as is common in alopecia) as you can see some hair left in the picture above.  

Another highlight was having one of our former Texas Tech RUF students, Alyssa, stay with us as our "babysitter" for the week!  (I cannot believe I didn't take a single picture, Alyssa.  Forgive me!)

I'll share a third highlight of the week in an upcoming post.  

What a week it was.  God is truly at work!