hope        |hōp|
noun
a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen;
a person or thing that may help or save someone;
grounds for believing that something good may happen;
a feeling of trust.
 
The activities we did and meals we shared during this week served as a vehicle for us to get to know one another and bond in a way that words cannot express.  We had lunch at Rubicon Pizza in Northstar, and immediately afterwards got in touch with our inner-child in the roller-skating rink.  A beautiful ride to the top of the mountain on the Gondola afterward got cut short by the rain, but was fun nonetheless. We had a birthday to celebrate, and even had a pinata while the parents had their final meeting.
There’s evidence for hope everywhere.  We see hope in each other, in ourselves, and in our family members, friends, and even strangers.  We gain hope from circumstance.  We capture hope in the morning sun as we open our eyes to the light of a new day.
There is an abundance of unceasing hope for each and every person here and the time spent here at Lake Tahoe this week holds a promise of comfort and support that will not be forgotten.