i know, do we ever really expect wolves???

i got home today from a women's retreat. i have been online with these women for about a year. you get to know a lot about people, be it only online, in a year's time. i thought we all knew each other pretty well. yeah, there a few who show up only from time to time, but a really strong core group who are daily.

i'm not going to harp on the negative, but let's just say it was a disappointing to meet a few of these women. i'm trying to count my blessings, because out of 22 women there were less than a handful who proved themselves to be...hmmm...how do you say it? mean-spirited? petty? selfish? arrogant? hurtful???

yeah, that pretty well covers it.

i'm done with that. it was addressed. it may or may not get better, but no matter. hurts were ministered to, bonds were formed, relationships cemented.

now for the good stuff.

we sang, we prayed, we laughed, we stayed up waaaayyyyyyy too late, we laughed and cried, we consoled and cavorted, we laughed some more, and cried some more. we took pictures, we had adventures and misadventures. we took detours, purposely and not!

one of our girls lost her husband in august to cancer. we visited their farm yesterday. i got to pet a camel, a zebra, a donkey, a horse, several dogs and cats, a miniature chicken, bunny rabbits, birds, lamas, goats, sheep....i can't even remember what else. there were many animals that i didn't have time to pet.

the lot of us took the Lord's supper on a mountaintop, surrounded by trees changing color and all those sweet animals. it was an experience i will always remember.

i'll have some pictures eventually. one of the girls will be sending me a disc of the whole weekend since i slammed my digital camera in the car door. stupidstupidstupid. oh yeah, the same car door whose right front quarter panel got keyed on friday night. it's about an 18 inch gash. yeah. the same car we just made the last payment on!!!

i don't even care. it's a camera and a car. a small price to pay for the experiences shared, the friendships formed, and the love i felt from most all of the girls.