Camping

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It is so fresh in my mind I just have to write it down.

Cousins.

We camped next door to a family that had two boys ages 6 and 4. What are the chances? It was like a bike park, secret hideout, baseball game all rolled into one spot. Our boys were having so much fun they called those two neighbor boys their cousins the whole time. They must only equate that level of fun to their cousins.

Up at 6:00 a.m.: "Can we go over to our cousins"

Jack to Spence: "Do you want to bring some juice boxes over to our cousins"

In front of the boys' parents: "Can our cousins check out the inside of our cabin?"

Weird, awkward smile. "They play with their cousins a lot." 

"Oh, and yes our kids don't go to school we are going to homeschool. What was that? You are a teacher? Oh...both of you are teachers? How interesting."

No. The parents were awesome. They came over for a campfire every night and we let our boys (and ragamuffin daughter who was always close behind) run wild until they dropped into bed at night dirty and sticking to each other by the smore leftovers on their cheeks.

We biked, swam, built fires, played games, check out cool bridges and boats, skipped rocks, sat in lawn chairs (my personal favorite). 

We didn't give anyone a bath, but to my credit I did go through a whole pack of baby wipes. Sorry pool cleaner man. I really am. That has to be the hardest job in the world keeping that pool clean.

We ate three meals together every day. One of my dreams coming true.

I read three chapters of Naya Nuki to my boys. A book my mom read to us. I am becoming my mom. Another one of my dreams coming true.

No one got sick.

No one got hurt... too bad. Okay, well, we didn't go to the hospital. Some of those bike falls had the drama of a hospital visit.

We camped in a cabin. It had a bathroom and mini fridge. Not really what we thought of ourselves as. In our minds Justin and I see ourselves on the front of a REI magazine with a tent in the background while we cook up a big "campers breakfast" in our highly fashionable matching North Face clothes. With four kids, five and under, we barely survived 3 nights in a cabin. We ate a lot of cereal and had a hard time getting a fire started. I wore the same black yoga pants for three days. Just the thought of a staying in a tent makes me nauseous. 

Items worth remembering:

1.     Our "noticer", Jack, had a very hard time noticing the people in front of him while biking. Note: To pray fervently for drivers training and a focused mind for that boy. 

2.     Hannah really started walking in our beautiful cabin.

3.     All four kids slept in the same room. I came home and promptly moved the girls into the same room.

4.     Justin and I fought. When we loaded, when we unloaded. We got annoyed at each other and had expectations that the other one didn't meet. It wasn't always perfect, but the Lord continues to work on us both. Thank goodness for Christ and his grace.

Yes, Jack has his shirt on backwards. Why not?

  

 It wouldn't be a proper family photo without a weird face and someone crying.