Ski Retreat on the North Shore!

North Shore Ski Retreat 2007!

New claim to fame - I have survived a weekend with 29 teenagers (from 4 metro parishes!), 11 chaperones, a priest, and Baby Lucy (26 days old when we arrived, 28 days old when we left :), in subzero temperatures on a "ski retreat" along the shores of Lake Superior! What a weekend! If you've never been to the North Shore of Minnesota... I'm sorry. The North Shore has got to be one of my all-time favorite places on God's earth - He really knew what He was doing up there!

So, this was a great trip, and yeah, I've got lots of pictures - just click the pic above to see them.

Interesting thing #1 - This was, I realized late in the day on Sunday, the first time that three of my "worlds" collided. A) My work world, as in, bringing a group of teens from my parish. B) My school world, as in, once again having Gwen (we were in Rome together last spring) as a housemate! C) My social world, as in, three of the other chaperones on the trip were people that I have delighted in calling friends for the last few years already - Jen, Padre, and Will.

Interesting thing #2 - It was only upon emerging from my cabin on Saturday morning (after arriving in the dark and collapsing from exhaustion immediately on Friday night) and seeing the view that I got a dejavu feeling... and as my eyes glanced from the cabin across the way from us, down to the lodge, and then on down to the view of Lake Superior across the highway it suddenly came to me that I had been here before - and that my family had stayed in that same cabin across the way, #6! I had to laugh, as the last time I was at this place I was a kid myself, and my nephews and I had delighted in being contrary about staying there! (Bryan & Adam - remember "the shifty eyed lady"?) As it happens, on Saturday I ended up having a very nice conversation with the daughter of the former owners (her parents had been there when my family had stayed there last), apparently they sold the place a few years ago and she chosen to stay on and work for the new owners because she loves the place and the lake so much. So now I must revise my previous childish impression and thank God once again that He has such a sense of humor!

Anyway, we made it back home again, and it's back to work again for me - tonight I had the first parent/child First Communion preparation meeting, Wednesday we've got Confirmation again, Saturday morning I have a cateists' workshop, Saturday evening we have our parish Youth/Family Mass, and Saturday evening we have both a Winter Party (for the little kids) and a snow tubing outing (for the big little kids :). All of which I have loads to do to plan for. Say a prayer, please!