This week was one of firsts.  For the first time, Glen Brook hosted the 7th & 8th grade boys for a gendered "Coming of Age" trip (with the girls to follow in two weeks).  It was also our first snow for the year, with just enough snow falling Thursday night for a snowball fight.  The boys spent the week splitting wood, doing forestry (everything from cutting bittersweet to chopping logs), building a new bridge down by the lake, practicing archery, working in the garden, building stone walls, and learning to forge metal.  They worked hard, but also played hard- lots of camouflage in the woods, football in the meadow, ping pong in the rec hall, and "manhunt" in the dark after dinner.  The boys also spent time in small group discussions, having an opportunity to bring a quiet close to our evenings and get to know each other better.  It was a fun week, and the boys were energetic- especially impressive given the cold, rainy weather that soaked us through repeatedly, and the hard work that we did throughout the day.  We're looking forward to seeing these boys again in just a few months, when they come as 7th and 8th grade classes.