Finally home!

After speaking Saturday night, we drove through the night to get back in Ames on Sunday afternoon. I took a one hour power nap, and headed off to a retreat with the other directors on Cornerstone staff. It's a bummer to get home only to have to leave right away. I left to Makai crying with 2 balls in his hands, waiting to play catch with me. "Daddy has to leave now, bye bye" 

I'm not a martyr. Most dads experience this on a regular basis. But it's never easy having to leave Leatha alone with the kids while I enjoy time away. Husbands, I hope we can thank our wives often for their sacrifice. Ours is minimal compared to theirs.

Here are some images from our trip, with comments above each picture.

Ben Jensen is the man. He scored 10,000 man points for going shirtless on his final run. He says it's some kind of tradition. Any predictions on how old he'll be when the tradition will end?

Peer pressure... the other men couldn't stand being left out.

Well, you'll notice there's one man not in the picture... 

I call this "Unintelligent Design"... This yellow "B" has been forming over millions of years in the timbers of the Rockies. It's amazing we found it as we boarded through this tree run. Evolutionary theory right before our eyes.

Thanks Ben (Hunt) for discovering this. (Bro, that took some amazing skill.) 

There may or may not have been an "M" by a neighboring tree.

Speaking of Ben Hunt, here he is leading some yoga with Aidan and Lance at the Lodge.

Here's part of the crew, minus Stan. From left: Aidan, Kent, Ben J, Me, Ben H, and Lance... These men did an incredible job of pursuing conversation and ministry throughout the weekend.

BTW: Props to Bobby... The day before I left he asked if I was good to go on gear, and I said, "Yeah, my dad let me borrow his ski bibbs." He shook his head, "Mark, we can't have that." Next thing I know I'm decked out in his boarding gear. You da man!