summer 2012

This summer, I visited West Virginia, Massachusetts (twice), and Vermont. I intended to write three separate posts about three different trips, but that's just not going to happen at this point. So instead, I'll write out some highlights/most special moments of each trip.

West Virginia:

• Seeing and spending [very little] time with Megan and Katelyn for the first time in 15 months. For dearest friends, that's really too long. We went shopping and to dinner- we didn't spend a ton of time together because they were planning to visit in a couple of weeks.
• Seeing my family. I didn't get to see everybody, but it was so nice to visit with the ones who did come!
• MOUNTAINS!! I love the mountains more than I love the ocean. One day, I hope, I will live among them again. (no, I have no plans to move back to West Virginia. But I hope that my most permanent home will be surrounded by mountains.)
• Listening to Papaw talk about he and Mamaw, places they'd been, and things they'd done. If you've ever met my grandfather, you'd know that he isn't much of a conversationalist- and certainly not one to talk about the past, except in funny anecdotes about cars or things gone wrong. It was SO special to get to sit on the porch with him and listen to him talk about these sweet things.

• Seeing Mamaw and Papaw interact with each other. My grandparents fought a lot when I was little- they were often yelling at each other. But now, especially since Mamaw's health has gone down-hill, they are much more tender and caring with each other. It's a blessing to see.

Megan, Katelyn, and Matt's visit:

• FINALLY staying up way too late with my best friend and talking about everything. A girl can only hold it in for so long.
•  Spending three hours jumping up and down in the ocean with three wonderful friends. 
• The night of Zoe's birthday party, playing Pit with Zoe, Malia, Megan, Katelyn, and Matt. It was amazing and SO much fun!
• Showing the girls where we live.

Missions trip:

• Spending time with EVERYONE! 
• Seeing my West Virginian friends getting to know and love my Massachusetts/New Hampshire friends, and vice versa.
• The night we just started singing in the dining hall at snack time- and everyone joined in. Sweet beyond words.
• Hearing Yaret (one of my little campers) repeat the memory verse I taught over and over and over again- to himself and to me. Psalm 119:11: "Thy word have I hidden in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee."
• My campers calling me "M(r)s. Carrot." 
• This is probably the best: This year, Megan and I had a camper named Luis. Luis is a very special little boy, who is loving once you get to know him, but who is is almost incapable of sitting still and has trouble following a lot of rules. And yet, hard as he was to deal with, it was wonderful to see the change in him from last year- when he was hitting his counselors as hard as he could, shouting curses at our leader, and making breaks for escape from the group whenever he could.
  Last year, I had a girl named Dajah who was beautiful, quiet, shy, loving, and responsible. I didn't know whether or not she knew God, but she was special. She is a little mother to her younger siblings, and she does a good job- loving them, taking care of them. She was and is a joy to be around.
  Last year, I also had a little trouble-boy named Eric. Eric, like Luis, had many attention and obedience issues. He couldn't sit still, couldn't obey, had to be separated from the group or taken out of Bible times on multiple days. But I loved him. He, for some reason, grew attached to me for the week (last year), and I to him. I remember sitting in a field with him while the other kids were making a craft and trying to talk to him and help him somehow. It was at that time that he looked at me and said, "God doesn't love me."
  This year, Luis, Dajah, and Eric were the honor campers. There are usually one or two honor campers, and the main requirement is that you know Christ as your Savior. Dajah was rewarded for her wonderful behavior and example of Christlikeness every day, Luis was rewarded for his amazing change from last year, and Eric was rewarded for his exemplary behavior, wonderful attitude, and, last but not least, change since last year- when, he said, he received Christ.
  As you can imagine, I was in tears as my sweet campers stood up and received praise. It was such a blessing to see what God had wrought.

Vermont:

• Being in the mountains.
• Hiking.
• Watching the sun rise over the moutains.
• Spending an afternoon with a book in a paddle boat on the little pond we could walk to. 
• Seeing my Great-Aunt Barbara, her husband Paul, my mom's cousin Chuck and his wife Cheryl.
• Relaxing in general after a crazy, not-a-spare-moment summer.