es-cap-eh

I'll warn you right now.
This is going to be a montrous post.
Full of photos.
And love.


"Hey Chris, what's up?"

"Oh, hey Lauren! Look, they posted the name of our EFY group!"

"Excellent! What is it?"

"A way to es-cap-eh!"

"A way to what?"

"A way to es-cap-eh!"

"A way to huh?"

"A way to es-cap-eh!"

"A way to what, one mo' time!"

"A way to es-cap-eh!"

"Ooh! A way to escape!"

Picture that.
In a rap.
Feat. me and Chris.



So began the best week of my summer, possibly year.
Maybe even life?

Especially for Youth is a week long program for kids in my church.
It's based on getting the youth excited about living the gospel, and placing them in a situation where they can grow close to others their age in religious & social activities.
I went twice when I was young, once when I was 14 and again at 17.
Both times it was such a positive experience.

This year I was able to return as a counsellor, or leader.
I had ten girls in my group, and was paired up with Chris, who was in charge of nine boys.
Together, the 21 of us formed,

"A WAY TO ESCAPE"

...but they preferred "es-cap-eh".

Here's all of our kids on Monday, just hours after they first met.



We had such an amazing group.
Fabulous, talented, amazing and seriously ridiculous individuals.
Every last one of 'em.

Not only were they good good kids,
they were also really really ridiculously good looking.

Here they are all jazzed up for the Friday night banquet.



Handsome group, huh?


I loved all of them.
It was so fun to watch all of the different personalities, and how they interacted.
We had a couple of girls who could do pretty impressive raptors impressions.
There was a distinctive lady killa.
And we even had a boy in our group who could, really & truly, lick his elbow.




It was so amazing to get to know each and every one of them, and I grew especially close to my girls.



I got to spend time with them; real, interactive time.
I taught them.
I learned from them.
We went to classes together, and brushed our teeth together.
We ate pizza and had contests and danced to Spice Girls.
We laughed together and cried together.
They are amazing girls, and in a short period of time, I grew to love them.

It was such a fabulous week.
I plan on doing it again.
And again.
And again.
And again.

Here's some more photos.
One's I just couldn't leave out.


I love the colors in this photo.




I love me and Kristens faces in this photo.



She is one of the sweetest girls I have ever met.


I love the light & the feeling of this photo.



I snapped it one morning while our kids were having personal scripture study.


Here's me and a few of my boys.



They were SUCH fun young men!
And handsome too, huh?




And yeah, it's probably best if you just don't ask.
Hahaha.


Overall, it was such an amazing week.
Rewarding on every level.
Despite the severe lack of sleep and sub-par cafeteria food,
I would do it all over again.



Oh, and,

I fell in love!



-L.