Family Camp

Athens, TX is sacred ground for me. It's where my camp journey began. I met friends there in 5th grade and am still really close to them even now. That feeling I got at camp was a mountaintop high every year. It's unexplainable but so so meaningful.

Justin took Nolan two years ago when Justin lead music at a camp but this year we heard about Family Camp. I was a little nervous about how it would go with Landry. The thought of bunk beds, play pens and more had me a little worried about the logistics of it all.

But it was amazing, in so many ways.

Seeing my husband play guitar for the camp always warms my heart.

I want my kids to love this place like I did. It's not like it's hard. It kind of just happens when you open the car door.

 Watching my kids eat s'mores....well it's on my parent bucket list.

Watching my kids sing camp songs and loving every minute of it. Another check on my list.

Even though it was a weekend camp, we filled every minute of that time with family time. And even better that we made homemade ice cream. It was more like a sugary liquid but you know I didn't turn it down.

Painting a family portrait, which now welcomes you as you walk into our entry way.

Swimming in a lake and pool had us worn out in no time but something about camp...it's like the trees give off a little bit more energy and you breathe it in and can't help but keep going.

 For that entire weekend, we bonded as a family. TVs were not around, phones were put away, video games weren't anywhere to be found. Although board games were played. It was glorious.

 

And it ain't summer without some watermelon.

So grateful for this place for what it's meant to me and my prayer continues that my children will have this place mean as much to them as it has to me.

The weekend reminded me that family time is sacred time, it's holy time.

Amen.

Mother's Day/Baby Dedication/Cry Fest

 I can wrap up my Mother's Day is two simple words...cry fest. We wanted to have Landry dedicated and we just kept letting time slip away from us. So with Mother's Day approaching and the brick feeling of it being the first Mother's Day without Tonya, we decided it was be a good distraction.

 

My mother-in-law flew in to see Landry's dedication. It was great having her here and to have her be part of the celebration. Nolan woke up as pale as a ghost and throwing up. Nothing will remind you that you're a mom on Mother's Day than taking care of a sick one. Rescheduling the dedication was not an option since people had flown in for the event and we had more people coming to church to see it.

So we're the deadbeat parents that gave our son a tiny bit of Dramamine and had him lie down on the back pew. But I think it worked because by the time church was over he was playing on the playground and running around and crying because he was so starving. So that's why Nolan is missing from our dedication pictures. There's always a story to keep our lives interesting.

Landry looked like an angel. I was nervous about having her in white. My luck with white is disastrous. A blow out or spit up is usually involved. But we made it through the whole service without any disasters!

It was her first time wearing shoes and she wasn't sure about those things.

Rob, our minister and friend, did the dedication and she was totally working the crowd with her coos, and Rob even paraded her up and down the aisle and she just stared at him. It was too cute.

My sister's best friend Sheri made it to service with her beautiful family. Having Sheri there was like having a piece of Tonya there with us. One of Tonya's last wishes was that necklaces be made for her girls with her ashes so she can always be close to their hearts. Each of us wore our necklaces to honor her on our first Mother's Day without her here with us.

During the service, the choir sang "Love Never Fails." Which is the same scripture that was read at Tonya's butterfly service and I pretty much lost it. I hadn't lost it like that since her service. It just really struck me that all these big events like Landry's dedication were going to be without her to celebrate. Madison, my oldest niece, was there and it made my day.

Nolan has been throwing up sick three whole times in his life and my mother-in-law happened to be in town for two of them. She's going to think we're going around letting him lick doorknobs.

And on top of the whole thing, our very close and dear church friend just graduated from Brite Divinity School from TCU and they're moving to Colorado after three years of love and laughter here. So once again, the kleenexes made an apprearance. Justin did a photo shoot with them so they could remember Texas forever.

The emotions were uncontainable all morning. Seeing my church family love her like I do, having my family there, and the blessings and love she's brought us in eight short months were just too much.

I know the blessings are overflowing in the midst of sadness of losing Tonya. I think the tears were a rollercoaster of my cup overflowing, shadowed with a hole in my heart.
 

The blessings are helping me heal. Thank you God for the blessings.

 last Mother's Day, right before we found out Tonya's cancer had returned.

Fa la la la la la la la

I'm finally catching my breath from the Christmas break. I can definitely say that we used every second for family time. This is the second year in a row that we've gone caroling with our youth group and others from church some of our home-bound members (or just members we can't get enough of) from our church.

It's so easy to get sucked into the insanity of Christmas and forget the true reason and this year was no different than last. It completely put me in the Christmas spirit. As Buddy the Elf says (and he ain't lying) "The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear."

Preach it, Buddy.

So we got our recorders fine-tuned, our baby snugli on, and our finest Christmas outfits to belt it out.

 

I mean who wouldn't love to see a big group looking this great with cymbals, recorders, and maracas in hand singing "Silent Night?" 

We visited some of our sweet friends that joined the church at the same time that we did and either they're really good actors, or we really did make their day.

The second home is one I just love to visit. It's so beautifully decorated. I think it may be more of a present to us to see their home rather than our gift of singing!

 

Last, but certainly not least, we visited my favorite church couple. You know, those sweet couples that you see that are never without each other and are always holding hands? And the ones that you picture when you're talking to your spouse about how you want to grow up to be? And the ones that when you see them at church walk by, you can't help but say, "Awwwwwww!" 

Yep, that's this couple. I mean, seriously, could they be any stinkin' cuter? 

They are like this ALL the time! See, here they go again...

 

I'd like to say it was all sunshine and lollipops. That we all held hands and skipped as we sang carols but there were also moments that brought up something new our kids were exposed to and a new step to encounter in our parenthood journey. 

We made two visits to nursing homes. One of the homes we went to, the people were clapping, playing piano and just oohing and aahing over Landry (they were wise people, if I do say so myself) but another home we visited was on the sadder side. There were hospital beds, wheelchairs and smiles weren't as abundant.

Nolan asked, "Why did those people look so sad and like they were about to die?" His observation is amazing and keen. 

Wow. Deep stuff. What do you say to that? Probably not the best time to tell your 6 year old that we are all going to die.

The days and nights that followed were plagued with lots of questions about death and growing old. He kept telling us throughout the day that he didn't want us to grow old and die. Bedtime became quite a struggle, to say the least, for two weeks reassuring him that we're healthy and young. My poor Nolan has dealt with anxiety issues over the years. We've dealt with being afraid of the wind, fireworks, putting his head under water and the list goes on and on and on. 

I pray, more than anything, that this experience is one that fills his heart with memories of spreading joy, feeling the spirit and doing for others.

Vacation Bible School

Last summer I was cranking out posts at least every other day. I was editing photos almost daily and out and about shuffling between the pool, the museum and dozens of playdates. Fast forward a year later and after anywhere from 3-11 bathroom trips during the middle of the night, I'm ready for a nap after breakfast.

So needless to say, my posts are WAY behind but I was hoping the first paragraph might get me a few sympathy votes. Vacation Bible School was actually the very first week of summer. I have thrown all chronology out the window when it comes to this blog.

This year our VBS theme had to do with being good stewards of God's Earth. Justin played the guitar throughout the week and our VBS is for ages 3 and up. At the time Campbell was only 2 but about to turn 3 so they allowed him to come.



He put up a good act when he "caught a bubble" and made a duck tail down the hall that he was going to be good but the little stinker was a handful the first day but improved throughout the week.

 

Anytime there's an arts and crafts activity, I know Nolan's all in. Believe it or not, but Campbell actually was interested more than 2 seconds too!

 

The kids got to try a variety of fruits and vegetables from Farmer's Markets. Most they liked. Others...not so much.

They also painted ladybug houses.

This picture of Campbell with the red paint on his face reminds me of Tears of a Clown. Thank goodness for aprons and washable paint!

Later they released lady bugs in our community garden. Notice my boys, a step back from the ladybugs. Because you know ladybugs are so scary and mean and all. 

They would rather watch from a distance.

A nursery across the street donated trees to every kid. Shhh, ours is still in the bucket. Picking up a shovel in 105 degree heat 7 months pregnant isn't exactly up there on my priority list. 

The boys got to also help plants some trees at church. Getting their hands dirty didn't seem to be an issue with them at all. 

Maybe once we finally get a break, we can put our tree in the ground and I can use them as child labor. 

 

Until then, we'll just have to keep watering our tree everyday so it won't die!