We're Glad to Turn Again

"To this blessed place,where Truth and Grace, from God's own word abound"

A couple of weeks ago now, (goodness, I am behind!) we spend a week at Camp Barakel.  You know, that place we called home for 4 years.  Noah was a high school week team leader, which if you've never been to a High School Week, means he was across between a mascot, a cheerleader, a coach, and your goofy older brother.

This year's theme was the election for the President of the United Sides of Camp Barakel.  Before we left, we made sure to stop at the Mission Store and get a suit, and a handful of ties.  Yep, those are now in the skit closet because I don't want to drag those all the way to Costa Rica.  But I am digressing.

Yes, this is a new way to play box hockey.

Here's Noah's campagin comericial.



Commercial - Noah Kamper from Camp Barakel High School Week on Vimeo.

See, you surely want to vote for him, right?

Noah was also able to share with the counselors during their circle time.  The boys and I did a lot of catching up with friends and just enjoying being in the woods again.  The hot weather finally broke and we were all caught a little off guard.  Noah hadn't even packed pants or a sweatshirt.  Silly man.  But we were able to borrow what we needed and life was good.

 It was so great to be around such sweet people again, being welcomed back into the work there. We're grateful for the opportunity to spend a week there this summer.  It was fun to see what the boys remembered, and what they were clueless on.  And it was neat to spend a week on East Side.  I hadn't been over there in the summer since I counseled way back in '01.

And now, if you are intrested, here's one more crazy video.  Look for me and the boys about half way through.



Camp Barakel 2012 Week Nine (High School) from Camp Barakel on Vimeo.

Well that was Quick Eight Years

Photo Journal of the Weekend

Curry, Laundry, and Suitcases

I am making this tonight, and then finishing the mounds of laundry that have taken over.

And packing!  Because tomorrow the boys and I are heading to my parents' and on Friday, I  (yes, just me, no one else) will board a plane headed for sunny warm Phoenix to visit one of my dearest friends.  To say I am excited is an understatement!  My parents will have the boys for the weekend and I will have a much needed retreat.  And so things will probably be silent here until next week.  I need some quite, to just rest.  Sort of an extended sabbath.  But don't worry, I will be back eventually.

The Fairview Branch of the Women Who Keep Me Sane

Can I just tell you how much I love these girls?  Over the last two years we have laughed, cried, studied the Word and prayed together.  They have been there to encourage and give a hand.  Since none of us have family around here (and most of our families are hours away) we have very much needed each other.

I am so thankful for their friendship and for their constant pointing me to Christ and for all the fun they are! They help me see the humor in being a mom of preschoolers!

Over the two years we lost a couple and gained a couple in our group as God has moved some on and brought some to Barakel. But we still talk and keep up on the ones that have moved on, and are so very excited about those that have come!
 

Right now we are learning about prayer.  And I love that instead of just talking and reading about prayer, we are simply praying.  So very good.  I come away from Tuesday nights ready for the rest of the week.

I am going to miss them so much when God moves us on from here!

It's Berry Time!

So, my friend Sarah is here for several day, which is why you haven't hear much from me.  We have been enjoying living life together.  It's so not right that she lives thousands of miles away!

One of the things that we were all excited to do was go pick strawberries.  This was something I knew I couldn't do without help, and she is original a country kid from West Michigan, so berry picking is second nature to her.  So, we trekked the 40 minutes one way to AJ's Berry Farm.  And boy, were we rewarded!  It was some of the easiest picking I can remember.  The boys loved it, and with two of us, we just put them in between us on the row.

Elliot couldn't stop picking and eating.  He would take a bit out of a berry, and then being the helpful kid he is, would contribute the rest of that berry to the boxes.  He walked around most the time with 3 or 4 half eaten berries smashed in his hand.  Oh, he was funny!  Juice running down his face, talking the whole time about berries, and cars, and picking and sorting and moving berries.

Forrest was, not surprisingly, less annimated.  He was more content to pick the largest, redest, juicest berries from the boxes, or ask for us to find his a big red one on the bush.  I finally told him he needed to hunt his own berries.

We managed to get 17 quarts to take home and a quart in tummies in about a half an hour!  Which was just the right amount of time for the boys.   Oh, and see that half eaten berry?  Yeah, there was more than one still in the boxes when we got home.

Most of those are in the freezer now, so that we can pull it out and taste summer in November.  We were going to attemp jam last night, but then we realized we were out of lids. Which really wasn't the big of a disappointment, because we really didn't want to make jam last night.

So today, we will get to the store, and maybe, just maybe tackle that tonight.  I am so thankful Sarah loves just living life with us!

The Arbor

At O dark 30, Noah and Dave Douglas pulled out of camp, headed down I 75 to spend the day at Spring Arbor University.  They will be talking with students today about giving a summer to work at Barakel. This is how I ended up spending the summer of 2001 counseling here. 

SAU was a significant place for Noah and I.  It's where we meet, and dated.  It's where we formed many of our ideas about life, God, and Community.  It's where we learned all about Art, English, Biology, and History.  It's where our education in education began, where we were taught Truths about God from dear people like Ron Kopiko, Dr. Daigle Williamson, and Professor Bippes.

 

So many wonderful hours were spent in the Dinning Commons, the lounges, the classrooms and labs.  Conversations after midnight with dear friends, that although separated by miles and years, still hold such important places in our hearts.  These were the people God used at that time in life to teach us and grow us to be more like Him.

The education we received was fantastic and set a foundation for all that we continue to learn.  I am so very thankful we had the opportunity to spend four amazing years at the Arbor.  What a place! 

 

Backpacks, a Lion, and a Frog

This morning, the boys and I met up with my dear friend Susanne at the mall. Now I am not a mall person, but there were a few things I needed to look for while being in civilization and it was a good halfway point, and the boys could play, ride the carousel and do a bit of trick or treating.

I must stay, I had the cutest lion and frog there was, and while the pictures are awful, they are all I have.  Boy, do I love our camera!  The shutter speed on that thing is amazing!  I always struggle when borrowing other ones.

 

 

A good time was had by all, and I was able to do life with Susanne for a few hours.  Such a nice treat, especially since I didn't think I would be able to after the whole we aren't coming down state thing at the beginning of the week.

One of the things I looked for today was a new backpack.  The one I have been using is about 8 years old and it's literally falling apart.  But, who in their right mind pays $100 for a DAYPACK?  Not this woman!  But behold the wonders of Ebay.  I found this one, most places running $80 for $16!  With shipping it was still just $26!  Hurray!  It should last me a good while.

I haven't said a whole lot, but Noah has been able to email a lot over the week.   I think that's because I don't have the whole picture, so I don't want to jump the gun on anything.  It's all been positive stuff, bits and pieces really of what he's thinking.  It will be good to sit down with him when he gets home and really talk through all that he has seen, heard, talked and prayed about.  

The boys are both asleep, and everyone one else is our enjoying the festivities. I think I need something hot to drink and then bed!  It's been a long week.

A Whole Lot of Nothing

So, I am discovering that, while I don't mind other people's blogs without pictures, I don't like mine without. I hope my camera comes soon!

Anyway. My dear friend Susanne is here for a couple of days and we having a great time, thus not much blogging. Today we went to get a bushel and a half of peaches. Much to my delight and her dismay, they won't be ready to can for about a week. She starts school preparations in about a week. I however will be on vacation next week and just about the time the peaches are ready, so will I.

She was also gracious enough to help me do a big grocery run today with both boys. Quite the feat, one I have not attempted with the boys by myself yet. I would like to keep it that way.

Now, some are sleeping, some are reading, and I thought I would do a quite blog stop. Next up for me, a nap.

Too too short

This weekend (read Monday) we had our dear friends EJ and Renee here for an all too brief a time. They got in Sunday night late, were here all day Monday, and then left this morning around 9:30. We packed the day though. There was brunch, lunch out a Mio pizza, a tour of camp, Noah's birthday supper of ribs, fresh local salad, potatoes, and fantastic strawberry rhubarb honey pie, and a great game of Settlers.

There was much laughter over the old days, parenting, our kids' interactions. I said at one point, "It isn't even fair that you guys live so far away!"

They are on their way back to Virginia today, but we have already talked about getting together next summer, maybe somewhere in the middle. We are so thankful for their continued friendship despite the years and miles.

Love you guys!

An Uncollection

• After a long ride on Sunday, the boys and I made it home. It was time. Forrest had been talking about Daddy for three days. It's good to be home, back in the routine, all in our own beds.

• However, I notices that my flowers weren't quite the same as when I left. Upon further observation, I noticed that those little green bugs that I thought were so cute upon first glance were only on the plants missing flowers and bugs. Uggg! I did some research on line, and decided to start with warm soapy water...it seemed to do the trick of getting rid of the bugs. Now we just have to wait for the flowers to grow. Oh, I really wanted to have flowers this year...

• One of my dear friends is here for several days! Hurray! What a treat to have while we are in the throws of the summer season.

• It was Elliot's first Ambush tonight. And it just goes to show how different kids are. Forrest gets nervous when the kids all race across the ball field. Elliot, got all excited, flapping his arms and legs around and "squawking talking."

• Forrest was thrilled with it all tonight. He was copying EVERYTHING Noah did. So very funny. Oh, and he is very into these frog boots Buela got him.