My new lens and a weekend away

So we added to our family the other day - nope... not pregnant - I bought a new lens!! It is officially now another one of my children! It probably weighs close to what Tys and Ry did when they were born! It was a huge decision to finally decide to buy it quite similar to deciding to start a family except this time I needed to talk Garth into it instead of the other way around! I'm rather like a new mom right now - "No, just look at it please, it's okay I'll hold it, don't worry about it I'll wipe it!". I haven't been able to play around with it as much as I'd like, so you know by the end of month (just in time for my next wedding) the boys are going to be sick and tired of seeing it!! They already make comments when we head to the park "Mommy can we go without your camera today?". ha!

I did however get to use it last weekend as we took a little retreat with some of our co-workers at the church. Our conference holds a pastor and spouses retreat at Harrison Hot Springs Resort every year and after last year's hiatus, my parents willingly offered to watch the boys and our church graciously made it possible for us to go.

It is definitely a weekend to look forward to - Garth and I love the time away and come back refreshed and renewed and sometimes rejeuvenated. (I have a tendency to not want to nap the afternoons away but rather go do stuff). It's a time to spend quality time together as a couple and as a pastoral team - we spend 8 hours driving one way and get to catch up on eachother's lives, laugh, share, try and plug Garth's nose while he sleeps, you know, the usual travel stuff. This year's conference was no different and did not disappoint. We decided to stay an extra day and it was exactly what we needed. Naps in the afternoon, working out in the hotel gym (doesn't sound relaxing does it?), soaking in the hot springs, eating fish and chips at a little diner, playing Trivial Pursuit in the fireside room for two hours all made for a great extra night.

We did spend quite a bit of time just as a couple as well, and Garth and I came away realizing that we need to do this more than once a year - so Mom and Dad are you free to watch the boys again?

Garth and I find ourselves blessed by the amazing team we are part of at Westwood - we work with a group of people who are faithful and model so many things to us. We find ourselves crying tears of laughter, sharing tears of joy and sorrow and falling on our knees to lift them up in prayer as they do for us as well.

Mark and Jennifer spent most of the time on the walk throwing a frisbee at whoever was or wasn't willing. They stopped for a moment and this was it!

Mel and LaDonna ran ahead (literally) of the group and we found them snuggled on a bench.

Craig and Lisa "volunteered" to try out a few poses for me, but due to Craig's fashionista tendencies we couldn't wreck his linen pants. Yeesh! :-) Just kidding! He DID NOT complain having his beautiful wife sit so close to him! Forget about the pants!

Okay so I saved the best for last - check out this hot guy! Nope no couple shot here - I was behind the lens remember? Sigh!.... the tragedy of a photographer - never a shot of you!