Too much to update...

I don't even know where to begin. There's just so much to tell you. I'll just let my brain go wild and let you muddle through the bits and pieces I put down.

Got a message from some of our good friends in Harrisonville yesterday saying that Willie Nelson is coming to Kansas City and they think I need to be in one of those seats. In case you were wondering whether or not to be excited...definitely! I am a big Willie Nelson fan. Think he's great. I went with these same friends a couple years ago to see Willie in Marshall, MO. (Maybe he'll sing more this time around right Joe and Brenda?) Happiness. Funny no one here really seems to share my enthusiasm about this development.

Last week a leader, who has been around Young Life for years, told the guys they were the "future of YL program." It's a big compliment and one I'd like to say they deserve. They have done an excellent job this month and it appears they have proven themselves as a good program team for future assignments. Brad is excited about the possibility of devoting all of himself to program rather than splitting his time between that and being a Head Leader. Although being a Head Leader does lend itself to being the first to know some might intriguing stories. Like the time he busted what were thought to be campers kissing behind the Seabreeze...turned out it was a summer intern and her boyfriend who had come for a surprise visit for her birthday. :) Or the time the tawashie boss asked him to address the fact that a male camper had just walked in to the community bathroom of a boys' dorm completely naked with full knowledge that the entire female tawashie team was in there cleaning. Oh the stories we have to tell when we get back.

All in all it's been a great experience here for us this month at Castaway. They have one of the most laidback property staffs in the YL camping circle and that has been very welcoming to those of us with kids. We have been encouraged to really make this our home for the month. We feel welcome. However, living in community comes with its own blessings and struggles. Although I do appreciate being able to walk out into the living room and have the opportunity for conversation most days...sometimes I just want to be alone with my family on the couch. It's hard to not have any place to call your own other than our bedrooms/bathroom. The best way to describe it has been that we've had immense blessings and plenty of chaos this month. Rory will miss the beach and Mr. Quin Swartz, the 2 1/2 year old she's become attached to this month. They only live in Belton though, so we'll see them plenty when we get home. I have gotten along really well with his mom so we'll have fun setting up playdates in MO. Rory has also been loving the social interaction. I'm wondering if it will be hard for her to no longer be the center of attention when we go home...actually, who am I kidding. She is the center of attention at home too...those YL committee members treat her pretty well.

Thanks to my Brunswick family for the great package a couple weeks ago. Rory loves the purple ball. I am leaving the candles here for the rest of the summer in case anyone else has birthdays to celebrate. Everyone needs to blow out a candle on their birthday. Thanks to the Bryants, Bohannons, and Sally Kneibert for the cards. They made us smile. It's always fun to get mail at camp. Mark and Susan, we got the package you sent us today. Thanks for thinking of our long ride home. The Backyardigans pirate book is quite appropriate since one of Rory's favorite nights is the Pirate Tableau here at Castaway. I made the mistake of going on and on with Rory tonight about how SuSu and Mark had sent her new books in the mail today and that we were going to see them again real soon. We talked about playing with Riley and swimming at Barbara's pool with everyone. This was while I was getting her ready for bed and as I went to lay her down she started crying. Apparently she thought we were going to see you much sooner than a few days. I sometimes forget her sense of time is not fully developed. Immediate gratification is her game. Anyway, she's ready to come home and see all of her friends again.

There's been a joke brewing lately between a few of us that since I'm coming back to Castaway for camp two weeks later this summer that I might go into labor walking around so much. Every time I haul myself up the hill to the main camp from the waterfront I think there's more truth to that joke. Being here really has been good for me this far along in my pregnancy. It's really had me walking.

Gotta go celebrate another assigned team member's birthday with a cake right now. She went to get her hair cut today so she could donate it to Locks of Love. She looks amazing. She's a wonderfully interesting person. I'll write more after I get back.