Second to last week...

Sarah Wennersten

May 2-8, 2011

Week in Review 26

Second to last week of Joshua... where has all the time gone? It seems like just yesterday we were all moving into the building, saying awkward hello’s, and beginning our adventure at Wildwood.

The first part of the week was filled with making quilt squares, writing a paper, having book discussion, packing, and trying to enjoy our last few days together as a class. Come Thursday however we were off on our last trip together. We loaded up the vans and came to Hartland...the land of large trees, brush, and power tools. Thursday we didn’t do any work, instead we relaxed, had a great meal, spent time together as a class doing skits, and then hung out in the gym. The skits were so much fun! We were split up into 9 groups each having a different topic such as the trips or Joshua life or the one our group had: rules. We had so much fun with our skit. I thoroughly enjoyed all the skits and reminiscing on the year. Ours was the very last skit and to say the least, we brought the house down. There were three guys and three girls in our group and our skit was basically break every Joshua rule possible. To start out we walked up holding hands. Devin and I were teamed up, Kaylee and Tyler, and Autumn and Caleb. Then we sat down at a “movie theater” and the boys proceeded to pull a move on each girl. Then one group drank beer, another smoked, and Devin and I... well, I reached over, took off his hat, and then we both put our faces behind it. I was expecting it to be funny, but I was not expecting the reaction it got. I couldn’t actually see but I heard everybody was on their feet. The noise level the class reached was crazy, lots of yelling, pounding, and general statements of disbelief. I was a little bit shocked at how everybody absolutely freaked out. We were waiting for the noise to die down so we could continue our skit but it just didn’t stop. Then Josh Coffey came and hit the hat away and we tried to finish our skit amidst the noise. I guess one of the reasons it was so shocking was because nobody expected that from me. Anyway, it was a super funny moment that I will never forget, especially after all the teasing grief everybody gave and is giving me. After that was over and we had a snack most of the class went to the gym. I got to conquer two routes on the climbing wall which we were very challenging, so I really enjoyed that. I also got to help one of my sister conquer her fear of heights and climb the wall. I was so proud of her, the last time she tried a wall was when she was really little, and this time she did great. Then it was off to bed to prepare for a hard day of work. Friday came and I was put on the stream/low ropes crew. We had to clear forest (sound familiar?) for a low ropes course and also get logs and debris out of the icy cold, snow melt-off, stream. The first job I had I volunteered for whole-heartedly. Our leader asked if anyone wanted to shovel so my hand shot up. I got to shovel a huge mound of sand/soil with plants and roots in it and then make a path. I had so much fun. It was hard work but also very rewarding to see a nice path where it was once very uneven and on a slope. After that I helped pull trees and the like out of the woods and then I got to use a pole saw. I went around and cleared off all the dead, low hanging branches I could reach with the saw and helped open up an area where people walk a lot. It was fun to use the saw and also a challenge at points. I also spent a few hours working in the creek that day and was very cold and tired. After work that day we got to go on the zip line and then we got together as a class and put together a letter for the next class: one from the boys and one from the girls.

Saturday was more forest clearing, followed by more stream clearing. I got to use the pole saw again and unclog the stream from branches. After dinner we got to do the Extreme Swing and Vertigo. On the Extreme Swing you are raised about 50 in the air by the back of your harness till you are facing straight down. Then you have to pull a quick release and then you are flying through the air on a giant swing. Super fun. After that I did Vertigo, the vertical climbing structure. Vertigo is 75 feet high and consists of 6 different elements that are all connected one on top the other. The whole structure sways and moves and is very, very challenging. Once you make it to the top you stand up on a little platform and prepare to jump. You can see the rope 20 feet or so in front of you and so you just take a flying leap from 75 feet in the sky free fall for a bit and then are lowered to the ground. I had so much fun with that. That night for our class activity we sat around a bonfire and shared and talked about the year. We worshiped together and just thought back, sharing memories and lessons learned. I loved it. I am going to miss my Mispocha so, so much. We were told about the rules we were on for the two week break which are that we can’t listen to music, the even rule still applies, but we can watch a movie or TV show with our family or at least three Joshua siblings. I am pretty excited to get to sit down with my family and watch the news or go to a movie.

Sunday we had a sleep in day and journaling time followed by another great meal (the food there was sooo good!). Then we cleaned our cabins and headed back to Hume. I road in Jen’s van this trip which was really fun. The van has all bucket seats that recline so I took the chance to catch a nap on the way there and back. Once to Hume our Pause family got together to practice for Mock Rock. We are learning a complete dance, I hope we can get really good at it before Thursday. We went to church that night, I called my family, and then we practiced more. Crazy week, and an even crazier one in front of us.