summer 2012 in a nutshell . frontier ranch

It seems that "real life" has officially started. During my last "semester" at Davidson, when I wasn't even a student anymore, it didn't hit me. When official graduation rolled around in May, it didn't hit me. But now that I've adventured out west for the summer and come back to a completely unfamiliar new reality, I do believe it is starting to sink in. I live in a new apartment in Charlotte which, despite its proximity to Davidson, is so foreign to me. I know three people in this city very well, and that is all.
At this point, I've had a few weeks to process the time I spent at Frontier Ranch {a Young Life camp in Colorado} as a "ropes" intern this summer. It was a ridiculously hard summer, physically and emotionally, but one that grew me and showed me who God is more than anything ever. Being on the ropes team was both more work and a bigger blessing than I could've imagined. Leading three sessions of summer staff and actually facilitating ropes rides both were jobs that I thoroughly enjoyed. Going on adventurous hikes to waterfalls, lakes, and 14,000 ft. summits, or simply pulling off on the side of the road to climb boulders brought my heart more joy than anything. I found rest sitting alone on a high rock by the river or in the middle of a wide open field with my journal.
I miss the mountains and being able to see the whole sky. I miss the freedom I had from feeling like I had to have my life figured out. I miss everyday rainbows over the valley, and not being hesitant to walk in the rain. I want to choose adventure here, everyday, but I'm scared that I'll never figure out how. I want to take lessons I learned about contentment and gratitude and actually apply them, with the knowledge that I'm exactly where the Lord wants me to be, doing exactly what I was asking him to let me do this time last year. Here's to new seasons, new friends, new cities, huge prayers and an adventurous, whimsical life of joy.

take it easy . frontier ranch session 1

There are no words to describe how much I enjoyed the first session of being a ropes intern at Frontier this summer. We had the most incredible team of summer staff I could have imagined to set me up for confidence and realness in the coming sessions. The inside jokes and weird accents and family time and good conversations couldn't have refreshed my soul any more. Overcoming my own fears in the ropes aspect of the job was so incredibly fun, and seeing leaders have bold conversations about taking steps of trust with their high school friends before rappelling down a 120 ft. cliff was even better. I love the interaction I get with campers, and I love the way that our summer staff worked joyfully and with the attitude of Christ through their exhaustion-- it made Jesus look so big as he used them as his hands and feet. I love getting to have real conversations with other interns, sometimes sitting in the middle of a street surrounded by 14,000 ft. mountains (not bad, huh?), I love square dancing in a ridiculous dress on Wednesday nights, I love Thursday day-off outdoor adventures, and I love getting to climb to the rappel tower at sunrise. I'm pumped for another session, to know more people, even though I am so sad to see these friends go. They are world changers... so I'll be seeing them again soon. :)

They are ropes course experts AND insanely gorgeous... hello.

graduation + summer craziness.

As I write this, I'm sitting in the backseat of my car somewhere between Saint Louis and Kansas City. I'm looking forward to a drive through the entire state of Kansas and half of Colorado tomorrow, and feeling nostalgic but very at peace about having left Davidson on Monday as a college graduate. There are so many things running through my mind. 

I love roadtrips, and good music, and thinking.

I hate saying see-you-soon when I don't know when I'll see you.

I have absolutely no idea what to expect for this summer, but I know it's going to absolutely wreck me and put a better version of me back together.

I am so, so, so grateful for my last four years at Davidson, and the community and friends that loved me fearlessly. 

I wish my best friends weren't going to be scattered all over the country next year. Change is weird.

I am nervous, excited, interested to see what out of college life in Charlotte will be like, every aspect of it.

I'm spending the entire summer in Colorado at Frontier Ranch as a ropes intern--- rappelling kids down a 120 ft. cliff, working on a high ropes course, and facilitating the giant swing. Fun, right? I'm looking forward to the fact that this makes the transition out of college a little more filled with community. I'm excited about the adventurousness of climbing a mountain at sunrise every morning, and I'm confident that I'll learn to depend on Jesus in ways I've never had to. 

Photography is taking a backseat for the summer (although I do promise to have a few more weddings to post, at least one amazing colorado family session- {meredith!}, and probably lots of Colorado instagrams), and I'm picking it back up full time when I get back to Charlotte in late August! Upcoming seniors, brides, families, I'm booking NOW for the fall and I will still be available by email this summer. 


 If you want to send me letters this summer, I'll love you forever. Mail them to: 
Haley George-intern 
Frontier Ranch 
PO Box 2025 
Buena Vista, CO 81211 

happy summer!

haley