I made it to ASP land safe and sound, and it is SO good to be here. After a wonderful weekend of catching up with friends and celebrating a beautiful marriage I took the day to get to Johnson City! I am very thankful for the women at the airline counter who overlooked my 55 lbs of luggage and put the heavy tag on with a smile. I am thankful for the opportunity to volunteer to have my very heavy 30 lbs of carry on checked to my final destination free of charge. I arrived in JC about 10 and was picked up from the airport and promptly spoiled with ASP hospitality. In my first hour of employment there were milkshakes, my new staff shirts, and a set of keys to Stella Blue my car for the next few days.
It still amazes me how special the relationships I have built with my ASP family are even after a year of not seeing them, we quickly fall back into easy conversation and bantering. I have started doing a bit of training- much less intense then the usual two weeks in Jonesville. I'm learning a lot on my own and watching some quality YOUtube videos about OpenProj and reading through the staff manual. Plus I had time to eat Chick-fil-a for lunch (it's been too long since my last visit to this yummy place).
Tomorrow will bring more training and preparations for the summer AND the arrival in Mitchell County my new home. This week my center director in crime who has been taking the best care of Mitchell County and I will be working together to transition things and hopefully prepare for a smooth week three. Plus while we are at it we can enjoy the benefits of being on a five person staff and have ALL the productivity and fun!
I am feeling equally nervous and excited about moving to Mitchell and what the next 8 weeks of summer have in store. I am praying for God to help me overcome all of the expectations I have for myself and that I perceive that others have of me. I am excited to see where the summer takes me and hopefully leads to a drawing into some sort of calling for the next year holds.
I won't deny that I LOVE getting mail in the summer and I usually work daily stops at the post office into our busy days to seek the joy of ripping open an envelope full of love and of course you can expect mail back too!
Send love notes, words of encouragement, things that will make me smile, and really anything you want :)
ASP Mitchell County
Attn: Caitlin Closs
General Delivery
Spruce Pine, NC 28777
Lots of Love from Johnson City!
Monday, June 17, 2013
Monday, June 10, 2013
World Adventures, Packing, and Mountain Dreamin'
As I sit in the middle of my grandparents family room and
watch the rain drizzling down, I am overcome by a longing to be a part of my
Mitchell County family even though we don’t even know each other very well
(unless of course you count my time facebook creeping). In just 6 short days I’ll be heading
back to ASPland for another summer of overalls, early mornings, and joy-filled
days with volunteers. For most
staffers with the Appalachia Service Project their summer has already begun and
the first group of volunteers are out on the worksites starting to serve the
families. I am positive that my
staff in Mitchell County is already having lots of great adventures.
I am so blessed to be able to have the opportunity to be
working with the Appalachia Service Project for a third summer in North
Carolina. I wasn’t sure if I was
going to be able to be serving again, but God had other plans for my summer and
I couldn’t be more ecstatic. I am
thankful for the patience of my friends in Johnson City while I worked though
summer plans and options and for working with me so I could come back this
summer!
You may be thinking why in the world am I not already there
and the short answer is I spent the spring after graduation as a world traveler
of sorts. In April I celebrated a
lot of lasts and the end of a wonderful 4 years at Alma. I wrapped up student teaching and then
enjoyed all of the graduation festivities. My mom and dad flew in for the weekend to celebrate the big
day. Just about a week later I
hopped on a plane with my spring term class and headed to Peru. I spent the month in Peru being
immersed in the culture and seeing another county. I had an incredible time and learned so much. Below are a few pictures from some of
my favorite moments of the trip
For the first part of our trip we lived with host families in Cusco and went to school and volunteered. Then we traveled all around Peru seeing all different communities and so much beauty. I loved the slow pace of life in Peru and the love they have for their culture and simplistic life style. It reminded me a lot of Appalachia. I hope that someday I will be able to go back to Peru and enjoy it all again.
After a crazy few days of travel full of cancelled flights, five star hotels, and a lot of plane riding we returned to MI. I managed to squeeze in a trip to the Highland Festival in Alma and a few other visits with friends and a whole lot of unpacking and repacking all before Monday morning when I headed back to the airport en route to Ireland.
My aunt decided to graciously take my cousins and I on a little Irish Adventure. We spent 8 days seeing the southern part of Ireland and learning about the history and culture. I loved spending so much time with my cousins and my aunt and enjoyed the opportunity to see another country. I think a few pictures will better describe my time in Ireland.
I made it home after all of these world adventures and was ready for a little time to rejuvenate and prepare for the summer. I am so thankful for the opportunity to have seen more of the world and travel with some awesome people.
I keep thinking that maybe if I wait long enough maybe all the packing I need to do for ASP will do itself. Unfortunately I can't avoid it much longer. I did spend time sorting through t-shirts and am happy to say it seems I could wear ASP shirts for 3 weeks and not need to do any laundry (not sure if that is a good or bad thing). I can't wait to get to ASP land but I am also nervous for the new challenges this summer will bring. I'm hoping to have more blogs this summer since I hopefully will have better internet then last summer but I make no promises!
Much love and many prayers friends :)
Saturday, April 13, 2013
Graduation Joys
I had a lot of intentions of blogging more this semester. That didn't work out so hot. But here is one super long post about college and friends and thanks and blessings.
As graduation rapidly approaches I think
back over the people who have influenced these past four years and am truly
grateful for each of the blessings and joy they brought to my journey! In no particular order here are some of
those people who have helped me become who I am today!
To every roommate or suitemate I have
had the pleasure of living with, thanks for listening for sharing and for being
a part of the everyday journey. For many of us we were strangers before living
together, but we life chatted and we learned and we laughed, we left as better
friends and with memories I’ll hold onto forever. I am stronger and
probably cleaner because of your gentle reminders to shower and eat and take
each day on with a smile.
To all of my sisters I am blessed by
each of your beautiful and unique personalities, I always know that phi sig
will hold a dear place in my heart for helping me become a leader, a sister,
and possibly most importantly a pretty awesome puffy painter. And especially to
the callas thank you for pizza rolls, family nights, life chats, mad straw
skills, and late night princess battles, you are the best fam jam and continue
to be a support and a bundle of joy and laughter.
To my community of faith, wow.
I am not who I was when I came to college because of each of you. I
admire each one of you who I worship with, who I have studied the bible with,
who I have spent many late nights singing with, who did ACCL with me the first
and second time, the brothers and sisters who served as SMCs with me.
This community has been a constant body of strength for me to run too and
what holds all of these other pieces together. Because of all of you I
fell more deeply in love with god and his heart for this world and I pray that
this community will continue to grow in the coming years and be a place of
refuge, strength and joy for all those who encounter it.
To my student life people, ra staffs,
hall directors, and everyone in between. I am more confident and wiser because
Of your leadership. I have learned to love deeper and to accept each of
you and your vivid personalities as friends, I would not be as motivated or as
diligent without each of you. To all the hooligans who I call residents
thanks for eating my snacks and being patient to have work orders put in, I
cherished living with all of you in each of our communities.
To my cohorts in the world of
Panhellenic I can't imagine working with any other group of incredible women.
I am lucky to have been a part of the growth of our Greek community and
to have done it with all of you. I'll never enjoy late night paper
sorting, or the millions of recruitment pictures as much as I did with all of
you.
To the wonderful women who served as
presidents with me, thank you for your patience as I treaded the waters of
leading us through changes and growth, I am blessed to have spent Wednesdays
dining with each of you, and getting to know you as leaders and friends.
To my alternative breakers, I still
cherish each of the weeks we spent together across the country humbling
ourselves and using our gifts to serve others. From dry walling a laundry
room, playing the fish game, learning how to use a nail gun, and watching as
the concrete foundation for a house was poured, I wouldn't have wanted to do it
with anyone but each of you. I am glad we got dirty and tired together
and that we became better stewards of our world.
To my CLW family, I never imagined
what an amazing summer would ensue when I met all of you for the first time as
I hoped off that plane and walked into a sea of USA lei wearing friends! I am
grateful for your friendships and for the chance to grow among you, I am glad
the we worshipped together, crafted together, got messy together, and
especially that we petted cows together. I will always hold our summer
together as one of many firsts and new adventures. I am even more blessed
by relationships that I still share with you years later, especially to my joy
counting friend and the ways that God has interwoven our stories together :)
To my ASP family because of each of
you I understand love, and overalls, and PXL. I am thankful for the late
nights we spent planning and making hardware lists, for the early morning
adventures to the hardware stores, and for each and everyday we had the
opportunity to adventure together and just talk about life. Thanks for
reminding me to shower and loving me even when I didn't, for eating Nutella and
ice cream and reminding me that happiness is more important then fatiness, for
patiently answering my questions and letting me answer yours, and for eating
countless peanut butter sandwiches while wishing we had taco salad. And
most of all for letting me see the work of God through each of you, each
volunteer, every family, and all the community members we had the chance of
working with. I am forever blessed by the extended family of staffers
that I laughed with, cried with, learned with, and snuggled with. I pray
that the relationships we share will last long into the future and that our
phone calls will continue to connect us and the new memories that we each are
experiencing on our journey.
To the breakfast club I am not quite
sure how we became a thing, but I ate more pancakes and sausage in just one
year compared to the rest of my time at alma, thanks for being early morning
motivation and a reason to get up and for letting me wash dishes on a regular
basis. I am happy that we didn't just share breakfast but study time,
milkshakes, and hugs too. I miss our breakfast adventures especially
pumpkin pancakes!
To my kiltie band family I am so
happy that we marched together, sweated together, and made music together. Five pm will forever be the time that I
associate with band practice, you were my first impression of Alma and even
though I was homesick at first you quickly welcomed be to the family.
Some of you have become my best friends, my sisters, and my residents.
Wherever we go we will always share the love of a good performance,
kilts, true scots, blue ribbons, bagels, and so much more. I am thankful for my
baritone family I will always think of you through indoor show paper airplanes,
purple shorts and many McDonald's breakfast trips!
To every person who has been a study
buddy, helped me survive a class, worked on math with me, or been in class with
me. You helped me become a
critical thinker and understand new and old concepts. I’ll always cherish late night library dates and study
sessions before tests.
To the Thursday friends, I became a
better euchre player and a better fruit snack eater from all of our Thursday
nights. It was wonderful playing
and laughing and walking the halls with you. To my partner thanks for wearing hats and belts and never
being focused. It was a joy to
know that I would have the chance to unwind every week with all of you!
To my new family at Alma High School
getting to work with all of you has been quite the adventure. I am so glad to have learned and grown
as a teacher, a person and a friend with all of you. I’ll always have a little panther blood in me!
To my incredible family who has been
there though all of these journeys, thanks. They let me explore and find out who I was and never stopped
loving me. Thanks for plane
tickets and visits and phone calls whenever I needed them!
It has been an incredible and life changing four years. I know that God placed each one of you in my story for a reason and I am glad that he did! I am excited to start the next chapter of life and for each of you to continue on your journey :)
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
Reflecting on 2012
I love reading friends facebook posts about reflecting on the year that we have all had. I was going to attempt to compose a super great status about 2012... but it was really hard summing up a year in just a few sentences, so I thought I have a blog that I never use maybe it would be fun to post about my year there....
So here we are in 2013, I am posting a blog on January 1. Maybe that means I'll think about blogging somewhat more then I ever have before (which wouldn't be much to do) , but I make no promises.
A friend asked what my top memories were from the year and I came up with a list of ten... so in no particular order this is what made my 2012 a great year fu1l of Joy and blessings!
1. I worked for a second summer with ASP serving as a center director in Cocke CO TN. I could probably list all 10 memories from the summer as favorites from this year because it was so wonderful... but just to name a few favs! My staff who indulged me in crazy antics not limited to mattress stealing, fort building, and wearing clothes backwards. A beautiful place to live and work and a mountain to climb and see God's beauty. An amazing community who welcomed us with open arms. Volunteers who spent countless hours caring for us, our families, our community, and doing projects I never dreamed we would accomplish! Families who smiles would make any day better, and of course an amazing support system from JC and especially a boss who helped me grow as a leader and in confidence. I wouldn't trade anything for that adventure.
2. Two wonderful alternative break trips. Habitat for humanity in FL and WV. New friends, nail guns, new skills. Sunshine, waterfalls, and even broken windows when the keys get locked in the car!
3. A wonderful friend from Alma coming to visit me in CO. Not only was in wonderful to show someone what CO is like, but we also enjoyed sprinklers at the zoo, waterfall adventures in the Maroon Bells and trips to museums and IKEA.
4. A whole lot of weddings. This year I celebrated new beginnings with four wonderful couples. From cousin time in Washington DC to dancing the night away, cookie frosting, trying new things, driving adventures, and even ice sculptures the wedding scene of 2012 was pretty awesome!
5. In September I spoke in chapel. One senior a month is selected to do the message it was both an honor and a challenge to write and share with my peers and I am so grateful for the opportunity to share my heart and my God with me peers.
6. A friend of mine was spending the year volunteering in Buffalo, NY. For Easter weekend I drove all the way to buffalo alone ( made it through Canada barely) and spent the weekend seeing her life there. One of the most special Easters I have ever celebrated!
7. I completed my last season of marching band ever. And it was a good one. I never would have thought that I would have dedicated eight years to being a part of a group or hardworking and talented individuals. From the wolverines to the Scots, being a member of all of those groups was an honor and I wouldn't have wanted to spend any less time running, sweating, practicing, and preforming.
8. I spent the last year serving as the panhellenic president. It was both the most rewarding and challenging leadership position I have ever served in. I am thankful for presidential lunches, awesome committee, wednesday night, and an incredible eboard who let me be silly and take a bazillion pictures of them when we wore matching clothing. I am also so proud of my kid who has grown into an incredible leader and will be a wonderful new president this year.
9. ACCL week. I worked with two other amazing women training other students on our campus to be christian leaders. The week seemed to fit together perfectly after lots of planing and scheduling. I saw God's spirit move in big ways in our group and on our campus.
10. Last but certainly not least, I spent the year seeking joy with a wonderful friend! Although we had some slow bouts we finished the year srtong counting gifts and joys in our lives! A huge joy of our year was passing off the journal in person for the first time since we starting counting more then a year ago. God is so good.
I am positive that a lot of other wonderful things happen in 2012! I mean really awesome blessings happen everyday! But here is to 2013 may it be a year of grace and love and new challenges! Tomorrow is the beginning of my last term at Alma and I'll be student teaching so that is sure to prove exciting and challenging!!!
Much love and many prayers friends! Happy 2013!
So here we are in 2013, I am posting a blog on January 1. Maybe that means I'll think about blogging somewhat more then I ever have before (which wouldn't be much to do) , but I make no promises.
A friend asked what my top memories were from the year and I came up with a list of ten... so in no particular order this is what made my 2012 a great year fu1l of Joy and blessings!
1. I worked for a second summer with ASP serving as a center director in Cocke CO TN. I could probably list all 10 memories from the summer as favorites from this year because it was so wonderful... but just to name a few favs! My staff who indulged me in crazy antics not limited to mattress stealing, fort building, and wearing clothes backwards. A beautiful place to live and work and a mountain to climb and see God's beauty. An amazing community who welcomed us with open arms. Volunteers who spent countless hours caring for us, our families, our community, and doing projects I never dreamed we would accomplish! Families who smiles would make any day better, and of course an amazing support system from JC and especially a boss who helped me grow as a leader and in confidence. I wouldn't trade anything for that adventure.
2. Two wonderful alternative break trips. Habitat for humanity in FL and WV. New friends, nail guns, new skills. Sunshine, waterfalls, and even broken windows when the keys get locked in the car!
3. A wonderful friend from Alma coming to visit me in CO. Not only was in wonderful to show someone what CO is like, but we also enjoyed sprinklers at the zoo, waterfall adventures in the Maroon Bells and trips to museums and IKEA.
4. A whole lot of weddings. This year I celebrated new beginnings with four wonderful couples. From cousin time in Washington DC to dancing the night away, cookie frosting, trying new things, driving adventures, and even ice sculptures the wedding scene of 2012 was pretty awesome!
5. In September I spoke in chapel. One senior a month is selected to do the message it was both an honor and a challenge to write and share with my peers and I am so grateful for the opportunity to share my heart and my God with me peers.
6. A friend of mine was spending the year volunteering in Buffalo, NY. For Easter weekend I drove all the way to buffalo alone ( made it through Canada barely) and spent the weekend seeing her life there. One of the most special Easters I have ever celebrated!
7. I completed my last season of marching band ever. And it was a good one. I never would have thought that I would have dedicated eight years to being a part of a group or hardworking and talented individuals. From the wolverines to the Scots, being a member of all of those groups was an honor and I wouldn't have wanted to spend any less time running, sweating, practicing, and preforming.
8. I spent the last year serving as the panhellenic president. It was both the most rewarding and challenging leadership position I have ever served in. I am thankful for presidential lunches, awesome committee, wednesday night, and an incredible eboard who let me be silly and take a bazillion pictures of them when we wore matching clothing. I am also so proud of my kid who has grown into an incredible leader and will be a wonderful new president this year.
9. ACCL week. I worked with two other amazing women training other students on our campus to be christian leaders. The week seemed to fit together perfectly after lots of planing and scheduling. I saw God's spirit move in big ways in our group and on our campus.
10. Last but certainly not least, I spent the year seeking joy with a wonderful friend! Although we had some slow bouts we finished the year srtong counting gifts and joys in our lives! A huge joy of our year was passing off the journal in person for the first time since we starting counting more then a year ago. God is so good.
I am positive that a lot of other wonderful things happen in 2012! I mean really awesome blessings happen everyday! But here is to 2013 may it be a year of grace and love and new challenges! Tomorrow is the beginning of my last term at Alma and I'll be student teaching so that is sure to prove exciting and challenging!!!
Much love and many prayers friends! Happy 2013!
Saturday, June 2, 2012
Ditches and Tomato Soup
Hello From Cocke County! We have somewhat officially moved into our home for the
summer! By that I mean everything
is out of the vans and in the office/cafeteria/supply area. It does not mean that we are organized
or can find what were looking for when we need it… But none the less we are
rocking and rolling.
We left the porch on Thursday afternoon after going to the
commissioning service and taking lots of pictures. We also enjoyed a great lunch. And did our chores of course! Our set up week adventures started off with a senic drive
and a whole lot of switchbacks…we were following the GPS but I’m not sure that
it was really the best way. Along the way Sevier County caught up
to us and so we all caravanned together.
I wish I could have taken a picture of the eight of us making a u-turn
when we realized the bridge we needed to cross was closed. Apart from our senic tour of TN we made
it safely to Carson Springs Baptist Retreat Center. We met some new friends who will be living with us this summer, they work at the camp and helped us move all of our stuff in!
We found a delicious mexican restaurant to have for dinner and filled up on chips before our food even came. We also celebrated Corin's birthday with presents and candles!
The week is already flying by. A little too quickly since we've been here in my opinion. We have been to the bank, hardware store, walmart, gas stations, and grocery stores as well as located an ice cream store and a dump. We have also been on the lookout for projects and are finding them all over the county. We are slowly learning to fend for ourselves... and eating a LOT of tomato soup too :)
We have seen our fair share of hills but overall we're making it through all right with some love and guidance from our PM!
If you want to meet my staff and see some pictures as well as updates from this summer you should like out facebook page! http://www.facebook.com/ASPCockeTN ( this is also a shameless plug because at the end of the summer we want to be the center with the most likes :))
And if you want to send me mail...
ASP General Delivery
Attn: Caitlin Closs
Newport, TN 37821
much love and many prayers from Newport TN!!
Monday, May 28, 2012
Training!
Well...so far the goal of blogging once a week seems to have been a failure... but only because I have been so engrossed in spending time and being present while I've been on the porch!
So some highlights so far of this adventure!
- CD hangout time! Hanging out with all the other center directors has been such a blessing. They are wonderful people who I am excited that I have become better friends with. We have a lot of fun being silly and serious all in the same day. I feel a really great sense of community this year, something that I didn't find til the end of last summer. So many friends to talk to and spend time sharing our joys!
-General Things that happen on the Porch: Singing, praying, writing silly intro songs, candy being passed around at construction sessions, milkshakes from happy mart, 120 friends, conversations about anything.
-Special Training things: Slumber Parties, Square Dancing, Late Night Snacks, IHVs, Walmart Trips, Team Building Day
-STAFF REVEAL!!!! MY STAFF IS AWESOME!!!!! Thankfully you are going to get to hear about them all summer long :) Soon I will post pictures detailing our meeting and how great they all are. There are four of us who will be living and serving in Cocke County and we are all girls. Also we love Jesus. And we can't wait to grow and adventure together!
-County Visit Day... I was supernervous about this ( in previous years CDs have gone out by themselves and ventured around their county. This year I had a partner and a PM (program manager) the three of us had an awesome trip and it was so nice to get away from the porch and see our homes! My center is sort of like disney world... swimming pool, laundry, indoor showers, and a nice space for Evening Gatherings! Pictures soon!
Training is getting ready to come to a close, and I have mixed emotions. I can't wait to get to my county and get to know my staff and families and volunteers, but I will miss getting to be surrounded by wonderful friends everyday. I'm looking forward to load up day and getting ready to head out fro the summer!
To all of the friends who have sent me mail...Thanks!! Starting this Thursday (5/31) you can send me mail at
ASP General Delivery- Cocke County
Attn: Caitlin Closs
Newport, TN 37821
Much love and many prayers from the porch!
So some highlights so far of this adventure!
- CD hangout time! Hanging out with all the other center directors has been such a blessing. They are wonderful people who I am excited that I have become better friends with. We have a lot of fun being silly and serious all in the same day. I feel a really great sense of community this year, something that I didn't find til the end of last summer. So many friends to talk to and spend time sharing our joys!
-General Things that happen on the Porch: Singing, praying, writing silly intro songs, candy being passed around at construction sessions, milkshakes from happy mart, 120 friends, conversations about anything.
-Special Training things: Slumber Parties, Square Dancing, Late Night Snacks, IHVs, Walmart Trips, Team Building Day
-STAFF REVEAL!!!! MY STAFF IS AWESOME!!!!! Thankfully you are going to get to hear about them all summer long :) Soon I will post pictures detailing our meeting and how great they all are. There are four of us who will be living and serving in Cocke County and we are all girls. Also we love Jesus. And we can't wait to grow and adventure together!
-County Visit Day... I was supernervous about this ( in previous years CDs have gone out by themselves and ventured around their county. This year I had a partner and a PM (program manager) the three of us had an awesome trip and it was so nice to get away from the porch and see our homes! My center is sort of like disney world... swimming pool, laundry, indoor showers, and a nice space for Evening Gatherings! Pictures soon!
Training is getting ready to come to a close, and I have mixed emotions. I can't wait to get to my county and get to know my staff and families and volunteers, but I will miss getting to be surrounded by wonderful friends everyday. I'm looking forward to load up day and getting ready to head out fro the summer!
To all of the friends who have sent me mail...Thanks!! Starting this Thursday (5/31) you can send me mail at
ASP General Delivery- Cocke County
Attn: Caitlin Closs
Newport, TN 37821
Much love and many prayers from the porch!
Thursday, May 10, 2012
less then one week til ASP!!
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
In less then one week I will be sitting on the porch doing a little bit of this:
singing, seeing friends, learning, and most importantly preparing for an incredible summer!
I might be a little bit excited! Before I go I have a lot to do. Such as pack. pack. pack. And let me tell you packing is not the easiest thing. I am planning what I might want or need for an entire summer of adventure and it all needs to fit into one nice bag so I can take it on the plane. My room is serving as a staging room while I sort through and decide what I might be able to fit.
I also am spending time hanging out with the fam and seeing friends while I am home. Loving having dinner and lunch with the people who inspire me most and being reminded of the wonderful support system I have even after being gone.
After training is over, I'll be moving to Newport TN, and serving as a center director in Cocke County. I am looking forward to meeting my staff, and learning the joys and challenges of a new center and a new staff!
I am sure there will be much more to tell in the coming weeks! But for know if you want to think about sending me mail :)
My address from May 17- May 30 will be:
ASP Jonesville Center
Attn: Caitlin Closs
P.O. Box 250
Jonesville, VA 24263
I'll have a different address for the rest of the summer, but I'll have to get back to you on that!
Love and Hugs from Colorado!
In less then one week I will be sitting on the porch doing a little bit of this:
singing, seeing friends, learning, and most importantly preparing for an incredible summer!
I might be a little bit excited! Before I go I have a lot to do. Such as pack. pack. pack. And let me tell you packing is not the easiest thing. I am planning what I might want or need for an entire summer of adventure and it all needs to fit into one nice bag so I can take it on the plane. My room is serving as a staging room while I sort through and decide what I might be able to fit.
I also am spending time hanging out with the fam and seeing friends while I am home. Loving having dinner and lunch with the people who inspire me most and being reminded of the wonderful support system I have even after being gone.
After training is over, I'll be moving to Newport TN, and serving as a center director in Cocke County. I am looking forward to meeting my staff, and learning the joys and challenges of a new center and a new staff!
I am sure there will be much more to tell in the coming weeks! But for know if you want to think about sending me mail :)
My address from May 17- May 30 will be:
ASP Jonesville Center
Attn: Caitlin Closs
P.O. Box 250
Jonesville, VA 24263
I'll have a different address for the rest of the summer, but I'll have to get back to you on that!
Love and Hugs from Colorado!
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
summer dreamin'
things I should be doing:-writing my english paper
-finishing our poli sci group project
-studying for all the exams I need to do next week
-thinking about school things
-checking things off my to do list (blogging is on there but I don't think it really counts)
things I am doing instead:
-ASP center director homewrok
-facebook creeping on new staff friends!
-considereing all of the places my county might be
-looking through old ASP pictures
-texting staff friends
As I meander through the last week of classes I am bogged down by all the studying that is supposed to be occuring- but actually isn't. But the good news is for as good as I am at procrastination I am also always good at getting things done when i need them to be done!
I've been thinking a lot about this summer and all things i can't wait for- but I am also excited about the new memories and connections I'll build. I filled out my staff expectations over theweekend and found myself excited for new challenges and new relationships. I know God is putting little glipses of ASP in my life everyday and today is all about prepearing for the journey!
now its time to get back to paper writing!!
much love from the library!
-finishing our poli sci group project
-studying for all the exams I need to do next week
-thinking about school things
-checking things off my to do list (blogging is on there but I don't think it really counts)
things I am doing instead:
-ASP center director homewrok
-facebook creeping on new staff friends!
-considereing all of the places my county might be
-looking through old ASP pictures
-texting staff friends
As I meander through the last week of classes I am bogged down by all the studying that is supposed to be occuring- but actually isn't. But the good news is for as good as I am at procrastination I am also always good at getting things done when i need them to be done!
I've been thinking a lot about this summer and all things i can't wait for- but I am also excited about the new memories and connections I'll build. I filled out my staff expectations over theweekend and found myself excited for new challenges and new relationships. I know God is putting little glipses of ASP in my life everyday and today is all about prepearing for the journey!
now its time to get back to paper writing!!
much love from the library!
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
The Anticipation!
So it's been a while since I posted on here... but I figured now is as good of a time as any (while I avoid studying for that math test) to get this blog thing rolling again for the summer :)
I tried to write as often as I could last summer about all of my ASP experiences to keep friends and family updated. For those of you who don't know yet, I have decided to work for ASP again this summer. So it seemed only fitting to blog again about the countless memories and challenges that another summer holds.
A little background... ASP (Appalachia Service Project) is a non profit emergency home repair ministry. During the summer, between 25 and 30 summer centers host volunteer groups who come in to do home repairs for families in TN, VA, WV, KY, and NC. Each center is made up of four staffers with the task of managing volunteers and construction projects to ensure an experience that is un forgettable for volunteers. If you want more info...or might want to volunteer, you can check out their website www.asphome.org.
I first heard about ASP when I was in High School and we went on a mission trip to Knott County, Kentucky. I worked with new friends and helped to put a roof on a home for a family. Fast forward to college, when my youth pastor who had previously served in summer staff encouraged me to apply. I did and ended up working in Knox CO, TN with three ridiculously awesome people. I had a summer full of joys and challenges and you can read all about it below :)
Somehow even after saying I didn't think I would ever be back, something in my heart helped me to see otherwise. I am now praying for my new staff, a new summer, and a new team. I have accepted a job as a center director (ahhh!!!!) and am nervous and excited and just about every other emotion between the two. I know that God has awesome plans for this summer and can't wait to be a part of them.
In a few weeks I'll be finding out my county and gearing up for a summer unlike any other. Until then I'd love prayers for this new adventure and for the ability to stay focused on what is happening right now. I still have three weeks of school and a few things I'm looking forward to before ASP (ACCL, going home, seeing friends, etc) but for know my focus should be on school and what God has placed in front of me today!
Much love from Alma!
I tried to write as often as I could last summer about all of my ASP experiences to keep friends and family updated. For those of you who don't know yet, I have decided to work for ASP again this summer. So it seemed only fitting to blog again about the countless memories and challenges that another summer holds.
A little background... ASP (Appalachia Service Project) is a non profit emergency home repair ministry. During the summer, between 25 and 30 summer centers host volunteer groups who come in to do home repairs for families in TN, VA, WV, KY, and NC. Each center is made up of four staffers with the task of managing volunteers and construction projects to ensure an experience that is un forgettable for volunteers. If you want more info...or might want to volunteer, you can check out their website www.asphome.org.
I first heard about ASP when I was in High School and we went on a mission trip to Knott County, Kentucky. I worked with new friends and helped to put a roof on a home for a family. Fast forward to college, when my youth pastor who had previously served in summer staff encouraged me to apply. I did and ended up working in Knox CO, TN with three ridiculously awesome people. I had a summer full of joys and challenges and you can read all about it below :)
Somehow even after saying I didn't think I would ever be back, something in my heart helped me to see otherwise. I am now praying for my new staff, a new summer, and a new team. I have accepted a job as a center director (ahhh!!!!) and am nervous and excited and just about every other emotion between the two. I know that God has awesome plans for this summer and can't wait to be a part of them.
In a few weeks I'll be finding out my county and gearing up for a summer unlike any other. Until then I'd love prayers for this new adventure and for the ability to stay focused on what is happening right now. I still have three weeks of school and a few things I'm looking forward to before ASP (ACCL, going home, seeing friends, etc) but for know my focus should be on school and what God has placed in front of me today!
Much love from Alma!
Saturday, August 6, 2011
it's all over???
I can't even think about the fact that this summer is all over and that in just a few short days I'll be thinking about real life... The summer ended quite nicely- we finished up all of our projects and only had a few spindles left that our helpers put on. Saying goodbye to all of our families was such a bittersweet feeling. We have spent the whole summer together and now we won't be seeing them each week. They were all so different and so unique. I'll miss all of the silliness at slip n slide, with the kids, and the sweet feelings at Van Gogh.
After all our volunteers left we closed out our center and said goodbye to knoxville college! It was weird thinking that I would no longer be sweating all the time, we had to stay up super late packing and getting everything ready to be unloaded. Unload day was one of my favorites, it was so fun seeing everyone again and hearing all of their stories form the summer. Then it was off to chavies to help them finish everything. Since we have been here I have done a lot of sleeping and also ran dump, organized etc. It is so weird not having any responsibilities to worry about. We also have been enjoying our fair share of Ale 8 and we went to a rope swing today, it was super fun until I slipped and belly flopped into the water....hello bruises!
Anyway just a few more days here and then its time for wrapup and to see everyone again. Hopefully by then I'll have found a ride home and be getting ready to go back to Michigan! I'm gonna miss the overalls, but I'm excited to see what god has in store for me this year! Pictures to come soon!
After all our volunteers left we closed out our center and said goodbye to knoxville college! It was weird thinking that I would no longer be sweating all the time, we had to stay up super late packing and getting everything ready to be unloaded. Unload day was one of my favorites, it was so fun seeing everyone again and hearing all of their stories form the summer. Then it was off to chavies to help them finish everything. Since we have been here I have done a lot of sleeping and also ran dump, organized etc. It is so weird not having any responsibilities to worry about. We also have been enjoying our fair share of Ale 8 and we went to a rope swing today, it was super fun until I slipped and belly flopped into the water....hello bruises!
Anyway just a few more days here and then its time for wrapup and to see everyone again. Hopefully by then I'll have found a ride home and be getting ready to go back to Michigan! I'm gonna miss the overalls, but I'm excited to see what god has in store for me this year! Pictures to come soon!
Friday, July 22, 2011
Unconditional love
Holy Cow, I can’t believe that this is already week 6 and that it’s almost over with…that means only one more week of volunteers and one more week to finish up our projects. These past few weeks have had so many happies and of course a few crappies along the way. It’s so hard to find time to tell all of you about everything even though I wish that all of you could be here to experience everything.
Ok completely random interjection to all of my thoughts…right now I should be paying attention to the beginning of our meeting and one of the youth just walked in and prayed for us, and it was incredible. He just said how God had chosen each of us to be here and it was one of the coolest things. It’s these little moments that make me want to stay here forever.
Week 5 was wonderful, the churches who came not only interacted incredibly with each other, but also with us as a staff. They cared for us so much and really went above and beyond to make sure that we had one of the easiest and best weeks possible. One of our GLs Mike, was a floater and literally the best thing ever. Every morning he would get up to go to hardware with us, aka wake up at 5:30 to get in the car with a semi awake staffer to drive to home depot and load/find an entire van full of goodies…maybe this sounds fun to you…but I struggle doing it once a week, but everyday that’s dedication. Each night he would come to our office and just impart his wisdom upon us, seeing him go was the beginning of a lot of tough goodbyes.
I also think that this was one of the most challenging weeks in terms of motivation and passion for me. We are pouring out everything we have and it is so easy not to refuel on God in the midst of everything which leads straight to the struggle bus.
We have had two really awesome weekends…
1. We went to a minor league baseball game, although I couldn’t tell you anything about the game, I could impart many things about the pictures we took, the gift store, the laughs, and the awesome ice cream that we at out of cute little plastic baseball caps. Our evening was finished out by a midnight parking lot dance party- crucial part of every staffs existence.
2. SPOOM…or the society for the preservation of old mills. Marv…another really awesome dude who is on the board for ASP owns a mill just about 35 min from our center, so we went there took a tour, rode all around his property on gators, watched the sunset from swings, enjoyed a delicious dinner on real plates and with placemats, and had a campfire. Then we had the pick of 8 different real beds… something I haven’t seen for about 2 months. We enjoyed a relaxing morning on the porch and came back refreshed to work.
This week I also got to take a day off, I met up with Kristen and Jolean in Anderson County….it was wonderful. We not only had some awesome conversations about God’s unconditional love for us and how we can share that with others, but we had a picnic and went geocaching. If you’ve never been before, you must go…I will take you. It’s like treasure hunting for big kids!
Anyway things are going swell, thanks for all the mail J and for your prayers. One more week left- it’s crazy. Pictures to come soon :)
Friday, July 1, 2011
It's not about me.
I can't believe that week three is already coming to an end. One of the first days here one of our volunteers was wearing a shirt that said It's not about me, and I think thats been a theme of this week.
Personally, I'm beginning to start to see why God brought me here and learning how to talk about what I am feeling inside and be vulnerable to emotions. Things I'm not actually very good at. It may take a little prying and a good root beer float from some random diner, and a lot of car rides, but it's getting there! I know that each day brings new challenges and new memories and lessons.
Also, our boss Steve came to visit this week, and it was my turn to go on runs( when we visit all of the houses) with him and I was super nervous. But it ended up being an awesome day with lots of learning and good chats! And we got our vehicle points!
This week I had two awesome contact homes and all of our projects are coming along so beautifully. I got to see the first piece of vinyl siding up and the first piece of tin go up on the roof. Seeing the beginnings of projects is really cool and then still being able to see them be completed! I am continuing to learn more about construction and how to problem solve on site everyday.
Some exciting things since last time I posted...
1. The Breaks, last weekend we went to the breaks which is an inner-state park between KY and VA. An ASP tradition for all of the staffs to get together after week two, we went swimming in a river and jumped off of cliffs and did the rope swing! So much fun. Then we went to dinner, had a campfire, and slept in the back of our vans.
2. Our families have been awesome! Every time I get to see them, they give me the energy to keep going and to know how much we are impacting them. One of our families grilled today for us and they are always out helping us work on their homes. I love seeing each crew and all of the work they finish everyday. They are changing lives and having their lives changed.
3. My new friend Cameron, he is one of our homeowners grandsons and has autism, at the picnic on Thursday we walked to the playground together and I saw his face light up with pure joy as we approached the slide. I saw God in him and he gave me a love that I'll never forget, for him the world is so simple and their is joy in the simplest things, I wish I could live life like him.
4. To my GL Dave, who gave up a mission trip in Puerto Rico with his sons so that he could be an adult for this group who wouldn't be able to come without him. We grilled together and learned about being tin rockstars, I want to have a heart like his.
5. For mom and dads of the week...this is the best thing ever, each day we have a mom and a dad and they do things like get us ice cream or give us hugs or just tell us how awesome we are. It's so wonderful to have that little extra something in each day!
Here are some pictures to enjoy :)
Personally, I'm beginning to start to see why God brought me here and learning how to talk about what I am feeling inside and be vulnerable to emotions. Things I'm not actually very good at. It may take a little prying and a good root beer float from some random diner, and a lot of car rides, but it's getting there! I know that each day brings new challenges and new memories and lessons.
Also, our boss Steve came to visit this week, and it was my turn to go on runs( when we visit all of the houses) with him and I was super nervous. But it ended up being an awesome day with lots of learning and good chats! And we got our vehicle points!
This week I had two awesome contact homes and all of our projects are coming along so beautifully. I got to see the first piece of vinyl siding up and the first piece of tin go up on the roof. Seeing the beginnings of projects is really cool and then still being able to see them be completed! I am continuing to learn more about construction and how to problem solve on site everyday.
Some exciting things since last time I posted...
1. The Breaks, last weekend we went to the breaks which is an inner-state park between KY and VA. An ASP tradition for all of the staffs to get together after week two, we went swimming in a river and jumped off of cliffs and did the rope swing! So much fun. Then we went to dinner, had a campfire, and slept in the back of our vans.
2. Our families have been awesome! Every time I get to see them, they give me the energy to keep going and to know how much we are impacting them. One of our families grilled today for us and they are always out helping us work on their homes. I love seeing each crew and all of the work they finish everyday. They are changing lives and having their lives changed.
3. My new friend Cameron, he is one of our homeowners grandsons and has autism, at the picnic on Thursday we walked to the playground together and I saw his face light up with pure joy as we approached the slide. I saw God in him and he gave me a love that I'll never forget, for him the world is so simple and their is joy in the simplest things, I wish I could live life like him.
4. To my GL Dave, who gave up a mission trip in Puerto Rico with his sons so that he could be an adult for this group who wouldn't be able to come without him. We grilled together and learned about being tin rockstars, I want to have a heart like his.
5. For mom and dads of the week...this is the best thing ever, each day we have a mom and a dad and they do things like get us ice cream or give us hugs or just tell us how awesome we are. It's so wonderful to have that little extra something in each day!
Here are some pictures to enjoy :)
Wacky Wednesday!
I visited Lotts Creek where I volunteered in 2006, brought back a lot of memories.
My prayer partner and I went to this rope swing!
Week 2 Volunteers!
Love these girls!
I went to the dump!!
Ben was gone... I was in charge of grilling for the picnic.
We sometimes do work, other times we take fun pictures with our volunteers.
This roof is going to be beautiful, the level and jesus are best friends!
Anyway, it's been fun, miss and love all of you and thanks for all of the mail :)
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Wacky Wednesday
Today was wacky wednesday...aka we wear funny clothing and make our volunteers take ridiculous pictures with us when we go to visit us at the worksite...its great!
So I haven't posted in like a bazillion years because I fail at finding free time, but so much has happened!! So we had our first week of volunteers and are well into our second week of them. Having volunteers is so much fun, I can see God in each one of them. It does make things more stressful, but its worth it. We are currently working on 9 homes right now.
So lets back up to week one and hit up some exciting things from then...
1. groups are awesome and care so much for the staff, bringing ice cream to our meetings, and being flexible when we mess up or don't quite know the answer.
2. Sometimes things don't go as you plan, at my contact home we pulled up the floor and it somehow was being held up by 1 joist ( usually there should be one every 16") so when such things like this happen, you roll with it and learn in an hour how to construct a new floor so you can teach your GL.
3. having visitors is awesome...shoutouts to new friends who came to visit us in week one, and for seeing how willing they are to literally do anything for you if you need help, and they like to get Gelato with you too!!
4. Sometimes GLs will surprise you with their talents, who would have thought removing a tree with a chainsaw would be so much fun.
5. The families that we have met are changing my life, just as I am changing theirs. They are already such an important part of my life.
6. Getting mail is so wonderful...it makes me happy :)
OK onto this week, this week has been a little more challenging...we have 9 houses instead of 4, and all of the projects are getting more complicated and need more discussion. But we are going to build a 90' ramp...so cool, and having 70 volunteers is always exciting.
Also exciting is when your volunteers build a huge slip n side, ( to my CLW peeps...it was quite similar to the one we built) and even better is when you go down it, and are all sudsy and muddy and then as you are taking a shower the power decides to go out. It's exciting!
Today I am in Knott County visiting my prayer partner for my day off, even though I'll end up spending more of this trip sleeping and driving it has been worth it. I spent the three hour drive catching up with friends from home and just taking some time for me ( which doesn't happen in the world of staff). Then we went out to Mexican ( the food came in literally one minute after we ordered it). We stopped at walmart on the way home and got ice cream and a movie. Then we enjoyed movie watching and just relaxing. It's been nice to relax and not think about work! Also her center is in Lotts Creek, which is where i first volunteered. It brings back so many memories to be here and what it was like to be a volunteer. So great!
Overall even though some days are tough, I'm learning a lot and growing. Love and hugs from KY :)
p.s. photos coming soon!!!
So I haven't posted in like a bazillion years because I fail at finding free time, but so much has happened!! So we had our first week of volunteers and are well into our second week of them. Having volunteers is so much fun, I can see God in each one of them. It does make things more stressful, but its worth it. We are currently working on 9 homes right now.
So lets back up to week one and hit up some exciting things from then...
1. groups are awesome and care so much for the staff, bringing ice cream to our meetings, and being flexible when we mess up or don't quite know the answer.
2. Sometimes things don't go as you plan, at my contact home we pulled up the floor and it somehow was being held up by 1 joist ( usually there should be one every 16") so when such things like this happen, you roll with it and learn in an hour how to construct a new floor so you can teach your GL.
3. having visitors is awesome...shoutouts to new friends who came to visit us in week one, and for seeing how willing they are to literally do anything for you if you need help, and they like to get Gelato with you too!!
4. Sometimes GLs will surprise you with their talents, who would have thought removing a tree with a chainsaw would be so much fun.
5. The families that we have met are changing my life, just as I am changing theirs. They are already such an important part of my life.
6. Getting mail is so wonderful...it makes me happy :)
OK onto this week, this week has been a little more challenging...we have 9 houses instead of 4, and all of the projects are getting more complicated and need more discussion. But we are going to build a 90' ramp...so cool, and having 70 volunteers is always exciting.
Also exciting is when your volunteers build a huge slip n side, ( to my CLW peeps...it was quite similar to the one we built) and even better is when you go down it, and are all sudsy and muddy and then as you are taking a shower the power decides to go out. It's exciting!
Today I am in Knott County visiting my prayer partner for my day off, even though I'll end up spending more of this trip sleeping and driving it has been worth it. I spent the three hour drive catching up with friends from home and just taking some time for me ( which doesn't happen in the world of staff). Then we went out to Mexican ( the food came in literally one minute after we ordered it). We stopped at walmart on the way home and got ice cream and a movie. Then we enjoyed movie watching and just relaxing. It's been nice to relax and not think about work! Also her center is in Lotts Creek, which is where i first volunteered. It brings back so many memories to be here and what it was like to be a volunteer. So great!
Overall even though some days are tough, I'm learning a lot and growing. Love and hugs from KY :)
p.s. photos coming soon!!!
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Speed Bumps
The first days here were really busy but also fun, the staff from Anderson CO was staying with us in our center because they still had school in session at their center. We loved having them here, and grilling with them and singing songs! We played a game of watermelon rugby (most sticky and ridiculous game ever!) Each staff was really busy doing IHVs ( Initial Home Visits) trying to find projects in the community for our volunteers to work on when they get here next week.
Days here are busy and sometimes stressful, since this is our first year in this county, people don't know who we are and we have to make a lot of calls and work to find projects. Since we are working in a more urban area, there are a lot more permits to pull and inspections to have, so we have to take that into consideration.
Even though there have been some speed bumps (literally and figuratively) in our first few days here, I know that God is not going to let us down, and somehow on Sunday night when the first set of volunteers show up we will be ready to go! You can pray for all of the families whose homes we will work on this summer, and those whos we can't get to.
If you want to send me mail :)
Knoxville College
Attn: Appalachia Service Project
901 Knoxville College Dr.
Knoxville, TN 37921
Love and Hugs!
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Rocking chairs, lightning bugs, and squre dancing
So much has been happenig here at the porch and I am so thankful for all of the fun stuff! So a few of my favorite memories are sitting in the rocking hairs on the porch and just talking with all of the different people who are here.
Another favorite are the stars and the lightning bugs and that I can sit outside at midnight in shorts and a t shirt so different then last summer in Wyoming where snowsuits were a necessity. We often sit outside and share stories and memories that somehow all connect our lives. Most days it feels like I have known the people here for my whole life when in reality its only been ten days.
Although things are good it wouldn't be life without some challenges. We have been learning a bazillion things they say it's like having a fire hose sprayed at you and trying to take a drink, somewhat impossible. I have learned a little bit about everything- from how to do underpinning to how to deal with bats in your center.
One of he most exciting days was finding out our staffs and where were going to be living at for the rest of he summer. I am really excited about my staff, were going to be serving in Knox co tn which is close to Knoxville and in a more urban area. This is the first year that ASP has been at his center! I also have the Posistion of volunteer coordinator woohoo- more to come on this later.
Tomorrow were off to Johnson city for sOme training and load up day and ben were almost done, Saturday evening I'll be in my county and have way more to tell you about! Love from the porch!
Another favorite are the stars and the lightning bugs and that I can sit outside at midnight in shorts and a t shirt so different then last summer in Wyoming where snowsuits were a necessity. We often sit outside and share stories and memories that somehow all connect our lives. Most days it feels like I have known the people here for my whole life when in reality its only been ten days.
Although things are good it wouldn't be life without some challenges. We have been learning a bazillion things they say it's like having a fire hose sprayed at you and trying to take a drink, somewhat impossible. I have learned a little bit about everything- from how to do underpinning to how to deal with bats in your center.
One of he most exciting days was finding out our staffs and where were going to be living at for the rest of he summer. I am really excited about my staff, were going to be serving in Knox co tn which is close to Knoxville and in a more urban area. This is the first year that ASP has been at his center! I also have the Posistion of volunteer coordinator woohoo- more to come on this later.
Tomorrow were off to Johnson city for sOme training and load up day and ben were almost done, Saturday evening I'll be in my county and have way more to tell you about! Love from the porch!
Thursday, May 26, 2011
New friends on the porch
Training has begun,just a quick post before bed. Everything is so new and exciting I am meeting lots of new people and doing so many fun new things. More stories to come with more time and not so much sleepiness! All i can say is that I'm thankful god called me to the porch for an incredible summer :) love from jonesville
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Taking Flight
I can't believe that tomorrow is the big day, I'll be taking off super early...my plane leaves at 6:15AM, so that means I'll be leaving home before 4am. Not looking forward to that at all, however I am so exited to start training, meeting new people, and having some fun! I'll be flying into tri-cities and then I'm meeting some other staffers to ride to Jonesville, VA where we will be staying for the duration of training.
Surprisingly I'm pretty much done packing and it's not even midnight. I probably overpacked, but hopefully not too much! I've got to get a few more things and then tonight it's Cherry Village and games with the fam! I'm sure their will be much more excitement to come!! Here's to a new adventure!
Surprisingly I'm pretty much done packing and it's not even midnight. I probably overpacked, but hopefully not too much! I've got to get a few more things and then tonight it's Cherry Village and games with the fam! I'm sure their will be much more excitement to come!! Here's to a new adventure!
Monday, May 16, 2011
First Steps
So, I've never really written a blog before, but considering I love following people on all of their adventures I suppose it's only fair that I share mine. This summer I'll we working for the Appalachia Service Project (ASP), its a home repair ministry in central appalachia which hosts short term mission trips for high school students. Want to know more? Visit www.asphome.org! When I was in high school I had the opportunity to travel to Kentucky with my youth group and the experience I had with ASP was incredible.
I am looking forward to all of the different experiences that this summer will hold. I figure that their will be some quality adventures to share with all of you...from sleep deprived staff bonding, to life changing moments- I'll try to give you a glimpse at it all. It all begins May 25th- I'll be flying from Denver to Tennessee and then its off to training in Jonesville, VA.
Until then, I'm going to enjoy spending time with the fam jam, watching my little bro graduate, and cramming in visits with as many friends as possible. I'd love your prayers for safe travels and smooth transition into the summer... and you can send me mail ( I love mail!!!) From May 25th to June 3rd my address will be:
ASP
Caitlin Closs
P.O. Box 250
Jonesville, VA 24263
after that I'll be moving to my center where I'll be staying for the rest of the summer ( possibly in KY, TN, VA, or WV) so I'll get back to you with a different address!
Love from CO!
I am looking forward to all of the different experiences that this summer will hold. I figure that their will be some quality adventures to share with all of you...from sleep deprived staff bonding, to life changing moments- I'll try to give you a glimpse at it all. It all begins May 25th- I'll be flying from Denver to Tennessee and then its off to training in Jonesville, VA.
Until then, I'm going to enjoy spending time with the fam jam, watching my little bro graduate, and cramming in visits with as many friends as possible. I'd love your prayers for safe travels and smooth transition into the summer... and you can send me mail ( I love mail!!!) From May 25th to June 3rd my address will be:
ASP
Caitlin Closs
P.O. Box 250
Jonesville, VA 24263
after that I'll be moving to my center where I'll be staying for the rest of the summer ( possibly in KY, TN, VA, or WV) so I'll get back to you with a different address!
Love from CO!
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