What you all have been waiting for

Let me tell you about the Summit.

1. First of all, it was fun.

2. Second of all, it was spiritually refreshing.

3. Third of all, there was much secret joy, and many secret tears. It was emotional.

4. Fourth of all, I will now be less vague, since that seemed to be a problem last time.

Here is a picture of my team (this is experimental)



In Red, my man Dustin "Smushie" Butler.
Next to him is Robin "Thus Far Nicknameless" Klapheke.
Next to her is Diana "D-Ro" Ro.
Next to her is your faithful correspondent.

This is my team, and they are really cool. In fact, no offense to any other edgers in my class, but I'm pretty sure we got the best two girls of them all. They are both fun, passionate, mature women of God.

I have feeling that Smush and I are going to get pretty close. He is a man of God and we are like-minded yet compliment each other.

Anyways, here are some highlights...

1. Getting to know Brad Jones (and visiting a micro-brewery with him and two successive nights. Brad is a guy my age from Penn State, and we know a lot of the same people. I had met him once before, but it was nice to get to know him. I always enjoy new friends.

2. Getting to know Dustin better. The guy is awesome! He is funny but thoughtful. Humble, gentle, and zealous.

3. G-mail chatting with Lindsey Winters during admin time, then watching several edgers update their Facebook pages in the middle of Kevin's talk. It was fun calling them out on it by writing on their walls. Of course, that also made me somewhat of a hypocrite. But it was a seriously boring talk.

4. The "Who's the biggest nerd" contest, in which my passion for L.M. Montgomery books could merit me only fourth or fifth place at best. The winner, Brett Marshall from ASU collects novelty David Winters cottages (I think my Grandma collects those)!

5. Team time with Lori and Bryce. Except later that night I threw up. But we got sweet tattoos.

6. Having Lori Bowman as a funding coach.

7. A couple names...Jerry Bridges, Drew Frazer, Jim Leube, Vic Black, Jim Rinella, Alan Andrews. Speakers all who were pretty sweet to listen to.

8. A conversation I had with Kyu-ho about worship. That guy is wise and deep.

9. How Biblical everything was! Seriously, funding school was so encouraging.

10. Coming home again. Arizona sure is a great state.

After the Summit, I went and spent a few days with Uncle Bruce and Aunt Linda in Denver. They were very hospitable as always, and I had a great time. We went up to Vail, with my mom's cousin Mike Smith and his daughter. My friends Ryan and Valerie from ASU came along too since we were driving together.

I saw my old friend Kyle Keperling from the summer of 2003. Incidently, Brian Smith from the same summer was in Breckenridge, so I saw him as well. It was a good time.

That whole summer training program proved fertile for me. I have many friends and acquaintances scattered all over the country from it. A couple more photos for you photographically inclined fellows...

Brad Jones is standing next to me, and Lindsey Winters is the second from the left.












This is us enjoying a hip-hop interlude during funding school.