not exactly a vacation

Some people had fun with us before we left for Minnesota saying we were going on a vacation, not really to work. Part of me thought there was some truth to that. And I guess I can't say it's all false, but it's really not what I'd call a vacation either. Brad has been amazingly busy. It's definitely getting better now that meetings and practices for program have subsided. There's a regular schedule and the head leaders have worked out times for which they are on and off duty. We actually went to McDonald's yesterday morning as a family!

Alone time is not a real easy thing to achieve at YL camp either. We do have our own room and bathroom. But if we go anywhere else we get sucked into a conversation or a game of frisbee...something other than quality time with eachother. It's been interesting...I miss Brad, even though I see him throughout the day.

He is doing a great job here at Castaway. He fills the shoes of the villain quite nicely. Last week, as the campers boarded their buses for home, a leader told Brad that of all the camps he's been to, Brad has been the most hated villain he's ever seen. He took it as a compliment. The opera (a musical play which ties up all loose ends in the story) was a huge hit! The hours and hours of practices really payed off. They nailed that performance. It was great to watch. By the end, the kids were on their feet dancing along to the big dance number at the end.

Kids are hearing the gospel. From what I hear Jim Gum is doing a good job. I haven't heard any club talks. I'm waiting until the last week and then my goal is to hear them in succession, rather than catching a club here and there throughout the month. It's harder than I expected to get myself to all the activities.

It's been hard to have such a backseat to all the goings on here at YL camp. I am trying to minister where I see opportunities but I really don't have a chance to interact with the campers. There were a couple of days last week when I was feeling really worthless. That's passed...I'm happy.

Rory has discovered the game "Ring around the rosy." She's a big fan. Sometimes when she wakes up from a nap or in the morning I'll hear her in her crib saying, "Ashes, ashes, we fall down!" She LOVES it when she can get a group to play up on the lawn. Rory also now insists on going barefoot most everyday. She's fun to have around, a natural entertainer. Last night at dinner she entertained us and some other KC folks with some fun phrases and a new sign. There is a group from Boulder, CO here this week. Their area code is 303 and they put their thumbs together and their pointer fingers together to form a 3 zero 3 with their hands. Anyway, last night someone taught the trick to Rory. She's amazingly good at it. We all howled with laughter the first time she did it.

This week there is a group here from Kansas City North. Brad and I used to volunteer at Oak Park HS in the same area before we moved to Harrisonville. It's so much fun for us to have Brad "Peach" Voigt here with his high school friends this week. Brad, and his wife Melissa, are some of our best friends. (Mel-we miss you! I cannot believe the stories you have to tell from this week! It never fails does it? Love you! Email or call if you get a chance...we can laugh about it together.)

Brad is right now playing a 74 year old man in a game of ping pong. Apparently Don Bell, an adult guest from around Olathe, is somewhat of a ping pong champion (he brought his own paddle to camp). I told him that my husband played a mean game of ping pong, and apparently the gauntlent had been thrown with my comment. They met this evening before dinner, and 45 minutes later were facing off. I'll let you know who wins.

We need some help deciding a name for this baby. If it's a girl we both pretty much agree on Emme Caroline. However, if it's a boy, Brad likes the name Xavier, and I prefer Asher. I'm taking an informal poll. I'm also accepting new ideas. We like unique and something with good meaning. No making fun of the names we already like. Seriously, we really like them for a reason.