retreat - better together - 1

This memorial weekend, we have a retreat with the whole church. The theme is “better together”. It starts from Saturday afternoon until Monday afternoon.

We get there late, around 9:00pm; due to my younger kid has a hiking trip. I and he don’t want to miss it, so I and my older one wait until the hiking is finish then go to the retreat together. I and my older one sacrifice something on the retreat. After all, the theme is “better together”.

We do miss some wonderful workshops.

Their hiking is well; this is the first time they do this high difficulty hike, 14 miles round trip, go up and down the mountain. They don’t expect to take this long time to finish the hike, around 12 hours. We have being waiting not really patiently that day. We thought that we can make it for the retreat at the beginning. While we are waiting, I recall that early morning before they leave for the hike, the leader teach them about how dealing with the mountain lion and bear when you encounter with it face to face. That really scares me, as the expect come back time passing. In my mind I start to think, maybe they really get to come across this situation or some of them trip during the hike and hurt themselves. And that is why it is delay. I see the helicopter in the sky. I almost want to cry. I pray and listen to the hymn and sing with it. That is a terrifying and torment waiting period. In between we do try to call and text them, but get no answer. That is really perturbed.

Finally the phone ring and tell us they are coming back in 30 minutes. That is a release. And that is when I call my friend to save the dinner from the retreat for us, so we can have food to eat when we arrive late.

When we pick the younger up, we all rejoice to finally to meet each other and busy talk to him everything about the hike but the waiting and the worry of us. He does get hurt and some others too. He is sore and tired but happy about it, actually we all very glade to know that.

We talk and talk until they both get tired and fall asleep, as usual. The driving is fine, it take a little more than 2 hours and no traffic. When we at last there, it is late and dark, and take some time to find the parking lot and the parking space.

First we eat our box dinner, get our room key, shower, watch a little bit of TV and then go to sleep. I set up the alarm for get up on time and not to miss the breakfast.

I do not sleep well because the change of the bed. I get up really early before the alarm sound. When it is almost the time for the breakfast, I first pull open the curtain, and then turn on the music, then sing with it and then finally the kids wake up.