Well, I just got back from an incredible week in Tennessee! I helped with a girls program (Pre-EXCEL) during the ATI Nashville Conference. I found out four days before the conference that I was going to teach! They were short on teachers and even accepted my older sister to come and help teach. That's big! In order to teach Pre-EXCEL you need to go to EXCEL. Dana didn't go, but was accepted anyway! They said she was the first girl they've ever accepted that hasn't gone through EXCEL! Pretty neat!!! 
Here is my team! I had eleven girls ages 7-11! Since we were Team H, the girls decided that we should pick a name. So they came up with the Honor Team! I thought it was very fitting because our verse was Proverbs 31:25! Now to backtrack a little bit... On the Thursday before the conference, I knew there might be a chance I could teach, so I took a few phone numbers and left for Galena! (Pictures from that coming soon.) Well, I brought my trusty laptop with me and spent much of my time figuring out the details. I couldn't find a ride, and I wasn't sure if Dana could teach yet, so things were going slow. Friday we heard back and Dad said that Mom was going to drive us down and was going to bring Stephanie and Gianna! So all five of us girls got to have a whole week together!  b
This mess on my bed is my packing and the gifts for my girls! 
Haha! All of the team leaders got to do the Human Knot! I was in it, but ended up in a small circle that broke off from the rest, so I got to take pictures! This was Tuesday afternoon during orientation. 
Then we went to a church for the first sessions! Mr. Gothard spoke and introduced the rest of the speakers. 
Mr. and Mrs. Bates. Their whole family was up there, but the children exited after they sang. 
Mr. Harmon. He was a good speaker, but ended early. He was on eastern time, and we were in central, but he didn't know that, so he thought he was running out of time. 
Large Group! The girls loved large group. They especially loved the skits! 
Madi, Caitlin (yes, she has the same spelling I do!!!!!), Anna, Amy, Kaye, and Elizabeth! Actually, I didn't know Elizabeth's name, but thanks to Victoria, I do now! 
The Leadership! Kaye, Anna, Amy, Madi, Whitney, and Caitlin. 
Dana was called up for a skit. Amy narrated it and told each one what to say. Dana was "Rebecca", all of the other girls were Abraham, Isaac, the servant and camels! Ha, they liked Dana! I was a mother in a skit, but I don't have pictures. I had to leave my camera on my seat and I nearly had a heart attack. The little girl behind me kept knocking into my chair, but thankfully, I happened to be sitting next to a team leader who watched my camera. Yes, it needs to have a camera-sitter! 
One of my girls singing! 
Another one of my cute girls! 
She was my seven year old. Technically, she wasn't supposed to be there, you need to be eight before you can come, but I am so glad she came. She is from the south and is extremely respectful. I loved listening to her southern drawl! 
Miss Caitlin played the piano. Every time they called her up my girls would beg me to go up! 
After she memorized each verse, she would color the pictures that went with it. She was the first to tell me all six verses! 
These girls played a medley that sounded so neat! 
A trio from headquarters. They sang a song from their missions trip to Romania! 
The guys also sang a song from their missions trip to Romania (also from headquarters). 
Mr. Mattix. He is in charge of the overseas missions. 
Dr. Coke. He was really good! 
The two on the left are sisters! These are three of my younger girls! They were so cute together! 
She was one of my eleven year olds. This was her last year in Pre-EXCEL. She is very creative! 
Wow! She was amazing! She told me all six verses by the third day and encouraged another girl to learn the verses. Here is her pipe cleaner creation. The girls were supposed to make something that reminded them of one of God's promises. She made this. It's God holing her hand, His promise to always be near. 
Ahh, Stephanie bought me this the last night we were in the hotel, but I was too tired to eat it. I forgot about it until Mom pulled it out of the bag (as we were on our way home) where it started to melt. I put it on my pillow underneath the air conditioning and it hardened quite nicely. =) The funny thing is, I still didn't eat it! I hardened it, put it away and forgot about it! Well, that is last week. I still have wedding pictures to post, and many others. The computer where I do all the pictures isn't cooperating right now, so I can only work on pictures as it lets me. Yes, it is a pain, but God is good and I was able to do the wedding pictures at Liz's! My laptop is basically good for online use only, it freezes up when I try to open any editing programs. Tonight, the computer liked me and let me work on these, so I am very happy! I want to write more, but I don't know really know what to write about, so I am going to end. =) I don't know why it says read more, there is no more. I tried erasing it a few times, I even checked the html, but I can't figure out why it's there. If it's gone, yay, if not just ignore it. =) Read more... | 
