Amazingly enough, we've been courageous enough as a family of five to go on a camping overnight trip with the youth, a tent camping Memorial Day excursion with family, and a week of Camp Victory all in the space of less than a month.
With the youth, we met our college friends Paul and Kim Perkins and family at Blakeley State Park for a short weekend. Paul had some great team-building and endurance stuff for the youth to try. Sam and Zach stayed in a tent with Doug (a first for Zach), while 
Eli and I stayed in a pop-up camper w/the Perkins family. Believe it or not, the big boys fell asleep in the tent alone, thanks to books, flashlights, sleeping bags and their favorite stuffed animals. It felt like freedom to enjoy some conversation around the fire after the boys were asleep for the night.
On a whim for Memorial Day, Doug's
family decided to visit a campground that the Daspits had enjoyed in elementary school ... Land O Pines. We didn't have any extra time off so we joined the rest of the family after Doug finished youth group on Sunday night. Arriving after dark wit
h the tents set up was fun, but made for a short visit. Memorial Day was spent playing in the creek, making many trips back and forth to the bathrooms, attempting naps with some weary kids, enjoying some pool time, and some sporadic adult conversation mixed in there. This time our little family of five occupied a tent together, hopefully the first of many such adventures.
And, finally, all of us experienced a week at Camp Victory during the first week of June. Doug was the missionary for the week, sharing about the hurricane recovery ministry we've enjoyed since Katrina. It was exciting to see the kids interested in something that took place so close to them and a whole 2 and a half years ago. While the boys and I didn't sit in on many of Doug's sessions (someone couldn't sit still ... namely Zach!), we loved having so much fun right outside our family cabin's do
or. We spent lots of time on the swings and at the pool, enjoyed a couple rounds of mini-golf, checked out the horses, took a first canoe ride, as well as spent more time with the Perkins' family on their turf (they are camp missionaries). It was wonderful (for me) to be able to just play and enjoy the boys w/o thinking of meals, laundry and cleaning. Plus, I finally finished the book I'd been 
reading while they napped in the afternoons. Eli spent lots of time in the Snugli on my chest so I could be hands-free. By the end of the week, he'd settled into a nice routine and with the monitor in hand, the big boys and I were able to adventure while he slept soundly in our cabin. It was a great family week, even though Doug wasn't completely free. We made up a silly "Camp Victory" song that Zach still sings.
With the youth, we met our college friends Paul and Kim Perkins and family at Blakeley State Park for a short weekend. Paul had some great team-building and endurance stuff for the youth to try. Sam and Zach stayed in a tent with Doug (a first for Zach), while 
Eli and I stayed in a pop-up camper w/the Perkins family. Believe it or not, the big boys fell asleep in the tent alone, thanks to books, flashlights, sleeping bags and their favorite stuffed animals. It felt like freedom to enjoy some conversation around the fire after the boys were asleep for the night.On a whim for Memorial Day, Doug's
family decided to visit a campground that the Daspits had enjoyed in elementary school ... Land O Pines. We didn't have any extra time off so we joined the rest of the family after Doug finished youth group on Sunday night. Arriving after dark wit
h the tents set up was fun, but made for a short visit. Memorial Day was spent playing in the creek, making many trips back and forth to the bathrooms, attempting naps with some weary kids, enjoying some pool time, and some sporadic adult conversation mixed in there. This time our little family of five occupied a tent together, hopefully the first of many such adventures.
And, finally, all of us experienced a week at Camp Victory during the first week of June. Doug was the missionary for the week, sharing about the hurricane recovery ministry we've enjoyed since Katrina. It was exciting to see the kids interested in something that took place so close to them and a whole 2 and a half years ago. While the boys and I didn't sit in on many of Doug's sessions (someone couldn't sit still ... namely Zach!), we loved having so much fun right outside our family cabin's do
or. We spent lots of time on the swings and at the pool, enjoyed a couple rounds of mini-golf, checked out the horses, took a first canoe ride, as well as spent more time with the Perkins' family on their turf (they are camp missionaries). It was wonderful (for me) to be able to just play and enjoy the boys w/o thinking of meals, laundry and cleaning. Plus, I finally finished the book I'd been 
reading while they napped in the afternoons. Eli spent lots of time in the Snugli on my chest so I could be hands-free. By the end of the week, he'd settled into a nice routine and with the monitor in hand, the big boys and I were able to adventure while he slept soundly in our cabin. It was a great family week, even though Doug wasn't completely free. We made up a silly "Camp Victory" song that Zach still sings.
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