June 18, 2012 was Lyla's first trip to the beach! She loved the dry sand, but was a little unsure about the wet sand. She LOVED the ocean and the waves, not so much the salty water, but she loved it. 
We went down early to youth camp and stayed at granny and pas condo. It was nice to be able to wake up and take Lyla to the beach for the first time with just us!
YOUTH CAMP 2012
I love to see them worship Christ and just poor out to Him using their talents!
Lyla was exhausted from the fun filled week :)
Youth camp was a little different this year. It was weird just being a wife and mom and taking care of Lyla. Some days I really miss leading students, but I know that my ministry right now is to be a mother and it is totally awesome!
My birthday at camp was awesome. All the band and Ashley blew up balloons and put them all over mine and Ashley's room and had me candy! April bought me a card and lots of my favorite candy too! And we went and had sushi! April and Justin also got me a birthday dessert at Pineapple Willy's! So blessed with such awesome friends!
At camp this year I definitely had my God moment. I was feeling pretty down because I hadn't had a God moment all week, I was so busy running around with Lyla and just exhausted, that I didn't really make time for me and God. It was the last night though and I had put Lyla down for bed and I was in the worship area in the back and I noticed Grace (Kevin's oldest girl) near me and she just kept looking at the stage and was kind of acting funny. Anyway Kevin came over and told me that Grace had made a decision to accept Christ into her life, but she didn't want to go on stage and tell everyone. Me and Grace joked around some and I could tell she was so nervous, but I finally just told her it was awesome and she needed to tell everyone! I told her to just go up there for a few seconds and then she could run off stage. Some of you probably don't know, but Grace is not like her other 3 siblings. She is not the center of attention, loud kind (in a good way Austin Zack and Hope :)). Eventually she went up on stage and Kevin made a big deal about it (as he should have :)) but as soon as it was over Grace ran straight into my arms off stage. It was so awesome! I got to talk to her for a while after and we had an awesome conversation about spiritual warfare. It amazes me how mature this 10 year old is! I am so proud of her for doing that and I thank God for letting me be there to help. Grace was my flower girl in my wedding and now I got to be apart of her spiritual journey.
I sat back after baptisms were over and tears were shed and just thanked God! I had been so exhausted with Lyla, so tired, I just wanted a break you know!?! But God showed me Grace and Patrice (graces mom). Patrice has always been a supportative wife and an awesome mom. She is such a good example of a ministers wife to me and I love her. I looked at them two though and God said, "Jessica this is why you do what you are doing. This is why you are exhausted. You are being a good mother, raising your daughter right, and putting all your effort and energy into Lyla so that one day she can know Me! Your daughter is your ministry and you are doing it right!"
Thank you God for such an awesome week at camp!
