This year's theme at Family Camp was
Be Still & Know. We went up on Thursday, which happened to be Leah's birthday.
Arriving at camp and so very excited.....
The girls helped me get the tent and camp set up before they headed over for the start of Teen Camp.
After they left, Leah and I had a few hours to ourselves. Actually, we were waiting for my parents to call since they were with friends at lake just south of us....only five miles away! The women came to our campground so Leah and I could follow them back to their lake cottage. We visited for a while, then when they left to go on a boat ride, Leah and I headed back to our site. It was great to see Dad and Mom even if it was just for a little bit, especially on Leah's birthday!
She opened her gift from them and received an outfit for her doll.
Her birthday dinner consisted of walking tacos (yummy leftovers from serving church lunch a few weeks back!)
After dinner we rode our bikes around the campground and surrounding area of Quaker Haven. She received her birthday phone call from Daddy while we were out.
When Joey and Holly returned to camp, Lee and Lily were so excited to sing "Happy Birthday" to Leah! It was so cute!
We spent the rest of the evening in their company. We love camping, and with them, it is an added bonus!
Leah enjoyed having playmates! She does such a great job with them both and they love her!
We went down and let the kids play in the sand (and water since you just can't resist when you're on the beach!).
On the way back up to camp, the sunset was just beautiful.
Joey built a fire and we made birthday smores!
Friday afternoon the kids went swimming again.
This was a great way to spend time before Family Camp actually started.
Family Camp starts on Friday. The first big event is the Friday night cookout. We always go to that, but do our own food the rest of the weekend. When we walked down to the beach front for the cookout, these four girls were sitting there together. This is the first I had seen them since Teen Camp started. It touched my heart because every time Megan saw me throughout the weekend, she excitedly said,
"Hi, Mom!" :) (This probably comes after all the times I've lamented that if there is anything I don't like about Family Camp, it is that you see your teens only in short bursts! This was one of those bursts!)
After Chapel on Friday night, there are snacks around the campfire, then free time. Everyone spreads out all over camp. About 10 p.m., Megan texted me and said they were heading over to the gym. Since we were just sitting around our campfire, we decided to go see them too. Grace and her friends were playing basketball.
Leah and Ana
Holly and I
Late-night volleyball. Here is where we said
Good Night to the girls and headed back.
Saturday morning after Chapel, all ages break off into groups and have a "Sunday School" hour. I had the privilege of spending this hour with all the 8 and 9 year olds at camp. We read Matthew 6:25-34, then walked back to the campground to look for and consider ways that God takes care of each one of us, as well as the rest of His creation. We gave each of the kids a planter to decorate, some soil, and their choice of seeds to plant in it.
Their decorated planters.
Family games begin out on the field at 1:30. Everyone is split into several different teams, and this year we were sent on a giant scavenger hunt all over camp to complete a list of tasks. Here we are unscrambling Psalm 46:10:
Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.
Our team was the
Purple People Eaters.
All team members had to participate in a game of leap frog.
Free time follows the games. Most of the younger kids take in the swimming, while the older kids are all up at the field playing soccer or Frisbee, or in the gym playing volleyball.
Quaker Haven sets up this giant slip and slide for our group to use throughout the weekend, which obviously provides hours of entertainment.
The entire group joined in singing
The Star Spangled Banner to help kick off this year's Variety Show Saturday night.
One of my most favorite people!
Family Camp wraps up after worship on Sunday. But, before we all go, through tears and lots of emotions, we all join in singing the annual family prayer song. Husbands sing to their wives; wives sing to their husbands; parents sing to their children; children sing to their parents:
(chorus)
As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
We will serve the Lord.
Then it's the camp prayer song:
Bind us together, Lord.
Bind us together with cords that cannot be broken.
Bind us together, Lord.
Bind us together.
Bind us together with love.
There is only one God.
There is only one King.
There is only one Body.
That is why we sing.
Can't wait for next year!
~Wee
