Camp!

We were home for just 4 days before we packed up and were off again...this time on vacation with Joe's family at a camp on Long Lake! It was such a great week spent with family, in the water, reading, on the boat...and taking a few pictures along the way...

It's amazing to me how basically our four families can combine into one lake house for the week and somehow not just make it work, but do really well together! Early mornings started with breakfast and a few games on the iPad (a combined birthday gift from my parents that we got in May)!  

And while the kids played on the iPad I couldn't resist this cutie...my newest niece, Annie, who we met for the first time at camp!
   Not much of the morning was spent inside, however, before the kids were begging to go out and swim. Here's Lily and her cousin Maggie jumping off the dock! And there was this great little rocky beach area...perfect for the kids (especially the two year olds) to play in...and for Eli to get a quick little foot soak!:)
And I couldn't resist a few more pics of Annie sleeping outside under the umbrella! And as always camp had some tasty food...including this hedgehog watermelon! Eli really loved playing on the beach and taking brief spins and dips in the water (he never really stayed in for very long...he would much rather throw things...rocks, toys, floats into the lake from the shore)! And after long mornings of fun, sun, and water the little ones were exhausted! And it seemed that I wasn't the only one who couldn't resist baby Annie! Eli was totally in love with her...I would find him looking at her, gently patting her head, and touching her little fingers and toes all of the time! Melt. My. Heart.
Bubbles, bubbles, and more bubbles with the little ones!
But we could never stay away from the water for too long... Lily and her cousin Brenna racing in the water! Squirting Mama!
Joe and Eli defending themselves against the attack of a water monster named Lily!:)
A certain somebody doesn't enjoy having his picture taken...but I caught these of him and our nephew, Chandler, anyway!
My beauty enjoying life outside the camp. And here's our sweet little boat! I didn't get many pictures, but we spent so much wonderful time on the boat during our week at camp...riding, tubing, skiing...it was fantastic! In fact, I think that my favorite day at camp was the one that we boated about an hour an a half (through rivers and a really cool lock system) to another lake where we spent the morning at a beautiful little sand island beach with Joe's brother and his family. Other than the rough waters on the last part of our trip it really was the perfect family boat outing. Maybe we'll do it again someday and if we do I'll be sure to bring the camera!
But I did get these few pictures of us taking the boats out one evening to ride into town to get ice cream (pretty much the best way to get ice cream if I do say so myself)!
And about one minute after I took this picture a small hurricane arrived and started whipping drippy ice cream everywhere...which was quite entertaining!
So after a bit we abandoned the ice cream and played on the little rides.
And so our days went...swimming and boating and reading and eating and playing games and also a few little crafts along the way...this time making little wooden airplanes. And of course I had to try and get a quick picture or two of all these sweet little Cousins who love each other so much! And speaking of loving each other...it was so much fun watching Eli and Holly (just 3 months a part in age) really play together and love each other during this vacation!

Oh my...it was a wonderful week! Thank you Nonnie and Grampy and all of our family for such a fantastic time together!

Home & an Update

We made it- we're home!!!

I know it's been a while, but it's been a very full (sometimes very hard) week and a half since I last wrote.  As we got closer to the end of project things got a little crazy.  On our last day with the students I was all dressed up and ready to take (and be in) our project photo when I got the news that our wonderful childcare worker (sweet, 18 year old Paula) blacked out, fell, and hit the back of her head/neck on the table.  Instead of being a part of the group picture, our project banquet, and the final student sharing time I experienced my first ambulance ride and spent the evening with Paul in the hospital.  Thankfully she is just fine (just a really bad bruise on the back of her head).  I was sad to miss the final student sharing time (I guess I'll just have to learn about what God was teaching them in the end from their evaluations) but I was more than happy to be there for Paula. 

The next night we got the sad news that one of our staff guys had lost his father totally unexpectedly.  It was such a sad time for all of us, but it was also beautiful to watch the body of Christ come together the way it did.  Not only did our staff family rally around this couple to help them pack, feed them, clean their car, pack their car, provide food and toys for the trip for their kids, pray for them, etc... but almost more impressive is that this couple let us.  They welcomed us into their pain and accepted our love and support and physical help.  It was hard.  And beautiful. 

And thus the schedule, feel, and pace of our last few days on the project were changed and I was reminded once again that this project was God's...not mine.  And that's how it ended...probably just the way it should be...not my plans, but His.

And then we loaded up the van and drove down from the mountain to Fort Collins to spend the weekend with our good friends The Hoskins.  I could go on and on about how sweet and relaxing the time with them was, how wonderfully our kids played together, how much I enjoyed simple conversation with them, and just how much I love, love, love this family...how I leave each encounter with them wanting more of them and of the Lord but I'll save all of that for another time!:)  I also got to visit with my dear friend Kate and all I can say about that right now is that it wasn't nearly long enough...not nearly.  Oh sweet friends of Colorado please come East!!!

Joe started the very long drive home on Saturday and the following day the kids and I took the easier route (or so I thought) flying home (I'll have a whole post on that adventure for you, I promise)!  Joe joined us yesterday at his parent's house and this morning we drove the final two hours HOME!!!  We unpacked for a short bit and then I headed right away to have surgery on my toe.  My doctor turned out to be an incredibly faith filled Christian who just encouraged me through the whole thing and even prayed for me before he started (the nerve block still hurt like a bugger....but everything else went incredibly smoothly)! 

And that brings us to right now (minus of course two months full of stories and pictures I have yet to share).  For now I am resting my poor big toe, trying to unpack, and attempting to catch up a tiny bit at home before we leave for a camp vacation with Joe's family on Saturday!

Nearing the End

We are nearing the end of our summer project and our time here in Crested Butte.  We leave a week from today.  We have just a few days left with our students and just a few more days than that with our staff.  Would you pray for us, our staff, and our students that we would finish this project well?  Would you pray that what the Lord has been teaching us here would stay with us, continue, and grow?  Would you pray that the Lord multiply what He has done here and that He would use the life change from this project to bring glory to Himself?  Please pray that God would give us wisdom in these last few days here to make good use of our fleeting time.

We leave Crested Butte a week from today (Friday).  Joe will start driving back to Maine on Saturday and the kids and I will fly back on Sunday.  Would you also pray for our safety while we travel? 

We so appreciate your prayers and look forward to sharing more with you soon!

Safe

I know it's been a while and I know that some of you are wondering how we are so I just wanted to share that we are doing well and that we are safe.  Yes, a lot of Colorado is on fire, but we are safe and a good 3-5 hours from most of the wildfires.  Three of the biggest ones are around the Colorado Springs, Fort Collins, and Boulder areas.  I have close friends in these areas and we have staff on our project who's family has been evacuated from their home so, although we are not personally affected, we would love to ask for your prayers for protection for these loved ones.  Please pray for the firefighters that are fighting these huge (historic really) wildfires...pray for their safety and pray that they would be able to contain these fires quickly. 

It is dry here...incredibly dry.  In fact we didn't have any rain (as in absolutly none) for the whole first month we were here (we had a few minutes of snow flurries the 2nd day we were here).  And then, interestingly enough, right after the wildfire broke out around Colorado Springs last week (and when much of the country took notice and started asking for prayers for rain) we started to get a little bit of rain.  No rain for months and then after an outcry for rain we got rain a little bit each day for a few days in a row!  I just don't think it's a coincidence.  I snapped this picture just the other day from our building...the incredible rainbow was such a good reminder of God's promise and faithfulness to us. 

It is still very dry here and there are extreme fire bans (including, sadly, no fireworks on our little mountain).  Please continue to pray for rain- this land needs it very badly...it is a bit desert-like here. 

Beyond that we are well.  This last week was much more laid back for us and our children have been sleeping later in the mornings than usual (nothing short of God's mercy on us)!  So we are feeling a bit more rested and I think we might just make it through the next two weeks!:)

Thank you for your prayers for us...we look forward to sharing soon all that God has been doing here!