Summer is OVER

Josh and Justin exhausted....



After an All-Nighter on Friday night the youth group summer is officially over!! Ideally that would mean that Josh would be able to slow down and rest a little bit. It would be even better if it would mean that he will be home more often now. We almost need to reintroduce ourselves in September every year!

Seriously though, Josh worked incredibly hard this summer and I can already see ways that God has blessed those efforts. The kids grew in faith and relationships, people were shown Christ, memories were made and they all had a ton of fun.

But... I am so excited to be able to get back into a normal routine.


Cornerstone - Middle School Camp at OC


Mexico Mission Trip


Rafting IN Glenwood Springs, CO


Rockies Game

Readers Poll

Just because I am curious to see who reads this would you post a comment on this to say hi?

If you don't know how to do that just go to the bottom of this post and click the comments button, you can either log in as a user or publish an annonymous comment....but don't remain annonymous - tell me in the comment who you are.

There really is no real point to this other than I am curious who is reading my random thougts!

Visit with family.....

As previously posted, Jackie Beth was here for 2 weeks. The day before she left Josh's parents Gary and Sue arrived for a long weekend.

Everytime that they come to Denver it rains. This trip was no exception. We had all kinds of great things in the mountains planned but almost the whole weekend the sky was dark and it was nasty outside. One of the things that we were still able to do was to ride a train up to the top of Pikes Peak. A few years ago we tried to drive up but because it was snowing. This time, it was again snowing as we got to the top and it was cloudy so we didn't get to enjoy the miraculous view but we still had a great time.


Every time Gary is going to come visit he makes Josh and I promise to find a bear. He really wants to see a bear in Colorado and I think he doubts they exist since we have never seen one with them. I've only seen one bear but Josh has seen several. The best way I know how to see a bear is to sit in the woods at night with watermelon and steak. No one else thought this was a good idea.
Sunday afternoon we drove up to Golden Gate State Park which is our favorite camping site. There is a short (but steep) hike to a seculded fishing hole that just looks like a place bears would hang out. Showing other people the amazing things in Colorado makes me realized how blessed I am to live here. There are increbible mountains just 45 minutes away that people drive for days to come visit.


Westerly view from Panorama Point at Golden Gate State Park

I love it when people come visit. It is usually somewhat stressful and exhausting but completely worth it!!! As much as I love living in Colorado, one of the things I miss most is being close to our families. Driving here is a long trip and flying is just to dang expensive so it is always a treat when we actually do get to see family and friends.

**hint to all of you who think Colorado is a good place to visit or going skiing - you are more than welcome to come and we would love for you to stay with us or just come say hi!!!!

Jackie Beth Shilcutt

My best friend has been staying with Josh and I for 2 weeks while she takes aerial dance classes in Boulder. In honor of the fun we have had and her visit I decided to make a top 10 (its actually 12 things because narrowing it down to 10 was too hard) list of JB/Shiloh moments.
These are in no particular order other than the order I thought of them in.

1. Going to Canada freshman year at ACU for the World Missions Workshop - Pack to be Mobile!!

2. Jumping into the pool at her home house with jeans and leadership camps t-shirts on - then giving those pictures to Bob and Jan with a caption that said "This is how excited we are about camp"

3. Sleepovers when we talk for a long time, pray before going to sleep and one of us always falls alseep during the prayer.

4. Sharing the Tour of Italy at Olive Garden and knowing what the other one gets at Subway.

5. Stapling hundreds of dixie cups together and covering the floor of our frineds bathroom, filling the cups with water and even putting goldfish in a few.

6.Camping with armed criminals (that is a really fun story).

7. All of the times we made up silly poems or songs and left them for our friends. We also went to Walmart with 3 dollars in change to see how much random stuff we could buy for a friend's birthday.

8. Learning to Lead - all 6 weeks we did it together. For that matter, all of Leadership Camps.

9. Car trips - these are a great test of friendship. One of my favorite trips was driving to Colorado from Abilene one summer in a tiny car with JB, Andy Zimmerman, Steve Sargent and Kyle Pevato

10. Making up and repeatedly doing the Shackles and Hands and Feet dances

11. Jackie Beth getting stuck in the trash can at her home house because of a hip cramp. We were videotaping the process of making a pie for Clint Burns' birthday and she crawled into the trashcan hole in the counter to pop out and say "surprise"

12. Dressing completely alike (same shoes, shirts, hair and everything) for an entire week and no one noticing until Thursday.

I started out wanting to write a top 10 list, it then grew to 12, I have aleady thought of about 5 more things that I wish I could add!! Friendships like this are incredibly special. I love that we have had too many times to count where we have laughed until our stomachs hurt, been open and real with each other, sat in silence and just hung out, had converstaions about faith and really expereinced God in deep and powerful ways. JB is on of those people I feel totally comfortable around, I love her wonderful family and no matter how long we go betweet visits with each other, when we see each other we pick up right where we left off. This friendship is such blessing from God and I can't wait to see how it continues to grow.

My Pooh Bear

If you know me well you probably know about my pooh bear. I have had him since I was an infant although I didn't start to like him until I was about 2. When I was little I started twisting his fur off - I said it was tickling him. I started with his ears and worked my way down. When I was in high school a new puppy that we had (who I never did really learn to like) chewed off his ears. Also in high school, one eye fell off in the car and got vaccuumed up.

My brother and several friends (Danny Reese and Jeremy Pottberg) as well as my husband keep trying to get me to get rid of my bear. I cannot, and will not do that. No Way!! Danny and my brothers used to hide him from me when we were little. My brother Jeremy recently posted a doctored picture of pooh on facebook and made a petition to get me to get rid of him. When we were younger my brothers got in big trouble if they took pooh away, threatened to rip him etc.

This bear has been through a lot with me - every family trip, mission trips overseas, lots of doctors appointments, breakups, bad days, good days etc. When I got sick in Africa my mom hid him in her purse just in case the airline or hospital took him away because he may have had germs (like in Velveteen Rabbit). Pooh was also in my wedding. My mom sneakily put him behind a candelabra when she was lighting the unity candle. During a time when the wedding party was praying around Josh and I my youth minister Rick, who was performing the wedding, went and picked him up and then talked about him later.

I have half-heartedly tried a few times to put him away in a shadow box or something but never can seem to actually do it. I keep saying " I will put him away when..." and then it never happens. When I wash him I put him in a pillow case and tie the top shut so that if some of his stuffing comes out I can put it back in.

This picture is basically a before and after picture - my cousin got the exact same bear I did but never really loved his. We got them free from Sears when we were babies. My mom held on to the "before" bear all this time and finally gave him to me a few months ago.


I might grow up and get rid of him someday but I will always love him and snuggling him will always make my day better.

Coping Skills

The past few weeks have been unusually stressful. It hasn't been one giant thing but more like several smaller things that are all making me crazy. Last night I was thinking that what I tell my clients to do during weeks like this is to make a list of coping skills and things that calm them down. So I decided to take my own advice.

My List of Things that Help When I Feel Crazy
1. a nap - being tired makes everything worse
2. some kind of small treat - Starbucks, a interestingly flavored soda from Whole Foods, lotion, yummy fruit etc
3. a good, long, hard workout - when I am stressed I can't wait to get to the gym
4. reading a good book
5. time alone to just sit
6. a massage - duh!!!
7. talking to people who can always make me laugh
8. making a few cards
9. yoga
10. writting in my journal

I will definitely be using a few of those strategies today.

Love Story Part 3

It's been awhile since the last installment - sorry.

The rest of sophomore year was a busy. Josh came to see my at Christmas break and surprised me. He met my family and hung out for a few days in Houston with extended family. Sing Song was in February - actually it was on Valentines Day. Josh sent me flowers and then came in for the weekend.
The end of that weekend my parents told me that they were going to get a divorce. Josh occupied my little sister at Sonic while my mom and dad talked to me. Later - and still - he has been incredibly understanding and supportive even when I have been an emotional wreck and a pain in the butt.
Josh continued working at Pleasant Ridge and we saw each other every few weeks if we could. We also continued to email up to several times a day. I know I mentioned this before but those emails were great. I think it really forced us to be real and open without too much of the dating "game" stuff.
During this time I also told a few close friends to convince me not to like Josh - I was having a hard time with us being apart and it was just not a lot of fun sometimes. I did eventually realize that if I was having to work so hard to not like him then that must me I really did like him a lot!

A "Camp Appropriate" hug during the summer of 2002

Part 4 - Getting Engaged

Camping Adventures

This weekend Josh and I went on the annual University Church Family Campout. This is our 5th campout with the church. The first one was about a week after we moved to Denver. We have had plenty of adventures on these campouts including being colder than I have ever been in my life, learning new games, hanging out with friends, hikes, and this year - having a flood in our tent!

On Saturday afternoon while we were napping it started raining and didn't stop for several hours. Josh and I woke up and when Josh rolled over he realized the thermarest mat was basically floating. The water made a huge puddle under our tent and seeped through the floor. We were ready to go home and chalk it up to another camping adventure but some friends told us we could stay in their camper. I ended up staying in the camper while Josh decided to sleep in the tent since he had a cot that would have him off the floor.

The rest of the trip went well. One of my favorite parts of the yearly trip is Saturday night when the whole group hangs out at one campfire, eats popcorn and s'mores and then has a devo. It is always such an amazing worship time and I love that the group is so diverse. Sunday morning we have church outside as well. This year I was thinking "Why can't worship be like this every Sunday?" It is so real, honest, relaxed and passionate in God's creation.

David Michael and Elliott Curtis

Yesterday was David and Elliott Pittman's 27th birthday. This picture was taken at MoRanch when they turned 18. I have known these boys since I was 7...they used to push me down on the playground at church. In middle school they were out of control. In high school we all learned to love them. I have so many memories of both of these boys and different activities with the youth group, trips, hang out times etc.

Some of my favorite memories are:
-David wearing boxers and a purple, velvet body suit at the Mall of American in Minnesota - he didn't know we were going to take a picture.
-VIP camps
-Seeing these boys at Kadesh in 1999 after the Identity year.
-Elliott being my date to my Junior Prom
-So many nights hanging out at friends houses, watching movies etc.
- When the Pittmans and a few others wrapped a dead deer in Christmas lights and put it in someone's yard.
-The night they t.p.ed the Pottberg's house and got caught by the police.
-Working Leadership Camps together.
-Devo's at their house in Abilene.
-Elliott (I don't think David did this one) singing a Backstreet Boys song with some other guys in a talent show.
-David coming to Denver as the ACU recruiter and hanging out with Josh and I.

There are really a ton of great stories with David and Elliott and I am so blessed by their frienship. Happy Birthday!!!

Best Day Ever

Saturday was a wonderful day. I woke up, took my time eating breakfast and enjoying the last few hours with an empty apartment. I had finished cleaning everything the day before so I could relax and sleep in.

About 2pm my best friend/matching twin/partner in crime Jackie Beth Shilcutt arrived at my apartment!! She is here for 2 weeks while she takes Aerial Dance Classes with a company in Boulder. She has one set of classes this week and another set next week. JB did the same thing last summer and took things like Bungee, Trapeze, Fabric, Stilts and other cool stuff. I'm excited to see what she is learning this summer.

Then, Saturday night at about 9pm I went to pick Josh up from the church. He just returned from a week long mission trip to Mexico with 15 other people. They drove to Monterrey and back - 25 hours each way in a van. They were all exhausted but really excited about the things they had done and experienced that week. One of the coolest parts that Josh told me about was that on the drive home they encounter a sheriff in Eagle Pass, TX who was thinking about starting some kind of youth group for the teens in the community so they would not get involved in drug trafficking - he happened to look over and see the van and trailer that said "University Church of Christ Youth Group" so he stopped to talk to Josh. Then, in Raton, NM there was a group of christian bikers who were handing out burgers and chips at a truck stop - they said they were ministering to other bikers headed to party for the weekend. Our group prayed for their ministry and they prayed for the teens as well.

So, between a relaxing day, JB coming to visit and my husband coming home it was a great day!!