Last Saturday in the late afternoon, Lottie and I drove to our church
and found a bunch of girls with braids and sweaty faces
waiting to be picked up from a week-long girls' camp.
They were sorting through sleeping bags, tents, and luggage,
finding and hugging moms and dads, brothers and sisters.
They smelled gross but were all smiles.
All week they swam in rivers, rode horses, camped, hiked, and of course
studied scriptures and worked on creating a stronger
a personal relationship with Christ.
Clane (Claire & Jane) had their hair braided the night before
they left for camp last Tuesday, and right before we got in the
car to head home, they had a braid unveiling.
They had impressive kinky (stinky) hair.
(Lottie thought they had mermaid's hair).
About an hour after we were home, the girls had showered, and I
had done two loads of wash, the next stinky wave appeared;
the boys drove up from their Scout campout.
They spent the last few days at Shackleford Banks catching
fish, swimming in the ocean, and collecting shells (for me!).
Pretty soon, my laundry room had piles of clothes waiting to be washed.
Super stinky clothes- like S T I N K Y!
I was so happy to have everyone home!
Lottie and I did some fun things together while the rest of
the gang was gone.
We went to the bookstore, where
she picked out some new doll furniture.
At the bookstore.
That's frustrating since it's a BOOKSTORE!
But that was the only thing she wanted and
I DID say she could pick out one thing.
So I picked out a few new books since I am a sucker for children's books.
We both win!
We also ate out and bought her a new backpack for 1st grade,
which I will admit was sad.
Sad because I don't want her to go to school.
While I have been decorating and setting up the house, she's been
doing a little decorating herself.
I found her with the scissors cutting her hair ribbons into strips
then she tied back the curtains in the living room,
and now she has been doing it every day since.
I don't know how long that will last.
Am I a bad mom for hoping the ribbons will somehow get "lost"?
I don't have the heart to get rid of them; she's so proud of herself.
We also played Calico Critters upstairs for 5 hours straight.
We pretended it was Christmas Eve and listened
to Christmas music, and I loved every second of it.
Then we read book after book after book on my bed
(and when I say bed, I mean my air mattress).
We stayed up late and slept in.
(I love taking photos of her sleeping).
So on Saturday night, after the 7 of us were clean and dressed,
we went out for pizza and ice cream in downtown Chapel Hill.
At dinner, everyone talked about their favorite memory of the week,
and everyone had something fun to share.
Sometimes I look at my children and feel like my heart will burst.
I love them more than words can express.
I am grateful they are having a childhood full of neat experiences in this
beautiful world we live in.
I am so grateful for wonderful adult leaders who share their time
and talents with my children to help mold them, teach them, and
love them so one day they can become amazing
adults, workers, mothers, and fathers.
