To say we were being spoiled would be an understatement! |
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| These
morning walks were so beautiful and a quiet time with some of
the girls. Besides being such a great way to start the day....it
was gorgeous. |
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My heart and mind came home so full of
ideas, joy, creations, promises, truths. I keep thinking about
the amazing women I met. Their stories. Their pain and their
bravery. I really miss them.
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One
of the most powerful writing exercises for me during the camp
was the day we made our promises book. I don't think I have EVER
written promises to myself. It is the only exercise that made me
cry. Not because it was hard....because it was precious. I felt
like I was making promises to myself as a little girl....and
that I would fight for her...I would support her...I would
believe in her dreams.
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I then went on to write promises to each of my three children,
my husband and then our marriage. Sometimes you just need a
little quiet to hear the truths, make the promises and remember
that you were born to fly. |
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From Teresa
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On the first day, I met up with the other BRAVE GIRLS and we got
on a shuttle bus up to the CABIN. I was a little nervous. What
had I got myself into?????
I would have NO computer access, NO
cell phone coverage and communication with my family or work for
4 days. (did I mention I have huge work deadlines?)
The ride up
to the cabin in Garden Valley, IDAHO was wonderful. I could FEEL
something big was going to happen. I felt an instant connection
to the BRAVE GIRLS... |
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Melody met us up near the top of the mountain (just before we
got to the cabin) and we agreed to "be there" and leave our
concerns, guilt, fears, etc. RIGHT there... (we threw bird seed
in the AIR- yes, worrying is for the birds- right?) A short time
later...we arrived to beautiful girls who hugged and welcomed
us. I felt like I was a sister and that I was returning HOME.
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| BEAUTIFUL lights and Green Lanterns were hung... It felt
peaceful and inviting. We listened to beautiful playlists of
music as we created.
This entire event was needed for me to REFLECT on MY life... |
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| Can you imagine - WRITING to yourself? it was like an AH HA.
moment. I fought back tears. I was thinking and reflecting on my
past- joys, sorrow, pain, lessons learned... and I focused on
the positive, and I have a tin full of cards/letters to myself
that I keep rereading to myself. |
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| We took lots of breaks for FOOD and snacks. Kathy showered us
with the most amazing food. I felt like I was at a CELEBRITY
retreat.I know Kathy and the girls put their HEART into the menu
and presentation. THANK YOU SO MUCH- I felt so pampered and
special. |
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We are BRAVE women...we connected, we laughed, we cried, we
created, and went on little sleep. We are better wives, mothers,
friends by all that we learned. I will NEVER be the same. It was
deep and intense and honestly...the ART was merely a vehicle of
pure love self expression to each of our souls. I KNEW I was
supposed to be at the event to make friends and to see LOVE in
action within the women there. I met so many women that FILLED my heart with
love and that I consider FOREVER FRIENDS.
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From
Becky ... |
How do you put into words a life changing, out of this world
experience?
I guess I knew Brave Girl Camp was going to be pretty special
when we stopped at the base of the road that led to the cabin
and Melody had us toss bird seed to the ground and leave all of
our worries behind. She said we were to let go of our bills,
every day details, worries about our families and all that would
entangle our minds for the next 3 days. It worked too. I didn't
worry about anything for the rest of the week! |
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| When we walked in we were surrounded with the smell of home
cooked food (the best ever), and personal touches that made us
feel overwhelmingly loved. They had our pictures spread all
throughout the cabin. Isn't that just the best idea? Nothing
makes you more at home than seeing your children's faces or your
little Fergie staring up at you. It was wonderful. |
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| Everything had our name on it. They personalized our work aprons
and water glasses and lavished us with supply kits. They thought
through every little detail to make us feel special. They
memorized our profiles and thought of us as they sewed and
labored and prepared. When we got there they all greeted us and
gave us hugs. I'm telling you it was a love fest!! And I have to
think really hard to a remember a time where I felt more at home
and honored. It was magical! |
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| They painstakingly decorated an old ugly tent for us!! It was
just beautiful to walk in to that dreamy world. What would come
next would be days of soul searching, creating, exploring and
ultimately rediscovering who we were and what we wanted out of
life. |
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| From Lissa ... |
| Upon arrival we walked into a beautifully lit cabin with twinkly
lights and yummy smelling candles. (you know how that's my
thing...)
There were pictures of our families, even photos of our pets
hanging around the room to cause us to IMMEDIATELY feel at home!
It felt like one big, HAPPY family! |
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Melody and Kathy along with the rest of their family
just make you feel like you're at home. |
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| I read on a blog today that real
friends are the kind of friends who you feel comfortable enough
with to invite them over for dinner and serve left-overs. That's
the kind of friends I made at Brave Girl Camp. |
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| Brave Girl Camp.
What an HONOR to be able to attend.
I met the most wonderful women!
I met FIGHTERS!!!
I met women who left not only determined to fly but determined
to SOAR!
I met women who INSPIRE me! |
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| No detail was spared!
Nothing was to much!
I remember Becky saying over and over "I feel so blessed... I
feel so blessed..." |
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| Beautiful, amazing, lovely,
funny, joyful Melody is instructing us on our projects.
She was so ready to open up her heart to each one of us!
You have never experienced such generosity! We were surrounded by
beauty!
inside the tent... inside the cabin... |
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| ...and then outside...The beauty of God's amazing creation. |
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| Thank you for all of your hard work!
I wish I could put into words how much you mean to me! Thank you
for making every meal, snack, dessert "the best food you
have ever tasted! |
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From Kallie
... |
| It was life-changing....all of it. I learned (again) that women
need each other...we just do. We have a gift for nurturing and
inspiring and comforting and we ought to share that not only
with our husbands and our children but with each other. I
learned that everyone struggles, and that it doesn't matter what
our individual problems are, and if they're big or small to us,
our struggles are the same. But the biggest lesson I learned is
the lesson of CHOICE. That crap happens...life isn't perfect and
if we're lucky it never will be, but no matter what happens, we
have a choice about what to do with it. |
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| There was a project about making
promises to yourself. How incredible to make promises to yourself on things
you don't want to fudge on. Here are some of my promises -
I promise to take care of my body...to get to my right weight
and stay there both for myself and for my family and loved ones.
I promise to be true to the musician inside of me and to take
the steps needed to develop my talents even further. I promise
to use those talents to bless others.
I promise to be more forward, open and honest with myself and
others about what I really want.
I promise to start breaking down the walls around my heart that
prevent me from making deep and lasting friendships. |
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This is an amazing, inspiring revolution - come be part of
it...come be a BRAVE GIRL!!!
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