Remembering The Little Things: Anticipation

My happy crawling girl! She LOVED crawling on the grass, and was gone as soon as she was put down!

A cute little friend of Adessa's, they are only a couple of weeks apart.

Adessa loves putting her face into people, I think its her way of hugging!

Summer is finally here!!! This weekend was the first break in our cloudy weather in about 3 weeks. Such a wonderful feeling, and just makes you want to smile! : )Yesterday was Open House at Qwanoes, which was basically kick-off to summer and it was incredible and made me very excited! There was about 1300 people at camp and the weather was GORGEOUS. We walked around camp with good friends, ate BBQed food, walked to (and in) the ocean, enjoyed ice cream, jumped on the trampoline and visited with good friends. Oh and got lots and lots of sun!! I had nicely crisped shoulders, and thanks to friends with sunscreen, my children didn't get burned! I think I was in denial about how warm the sun is here on the island!
However as much as I am excited for sunshine and warmth, there is also a bit of hesitation and nervousness. Last summer was our first summer at camp as a married couple with children, and I am not going to lie, it was tough! We had just moved to a new town, leaving behind all family and friends, started a new job and I was pregnant! Steve worked long, hard days and worked a 6 day work week for the entire summer. I was needy as a pregnant mother for the first half of summer and then having a newborn for the second half.
As tough as last summer was though, Steve and I have really been encouraging one another to have positive attitudes. To remember what life at camp is all about and to look at the positive side of working in ministry. Yes Steve will be putting in long days and working 6 days a week, but the girls and I can be a part of it. As we get to go eat our meals at camp and hang out with good friends while we are there. This year we have also gotten to make a lot more friends, both in the camp and out. I have met many mothers with children my kids age and am really starting to form some good, deep friendships, which I cherish.
Something else we have been encouraging each other with is this, that if we look at camp as a job, it would pardon me, but 'suck'. As Steve does work really really hard, for little pay. However it is the bigger picture and the working environment. Everything Steve builds and makes better at camp is for the kids that attend. It is the reason we signed on to work at camp and why we have always been drawn as kids. To show children how much God loves them and to have children come to know the Lord. That's what camp is all about, right?

Danika 'supervising' the candy toss, all the other kids came out with handfuls of candy, Danika came out with one pink one... must take after her daddy! ; )