leaving

She's moving away today. Packing up their apartment and driving away for the last time. I've never lived more that 5 hours away from my family. We get together on weekends and hang out and laugh and drive each other crazy and fight and watch TV and just talk to each other. Whenever I go home, we always end up sitting at the kitchen table talking for hours about whatever. 3 kids. Parents who have been married for over 30 years. I love that. I love that we have each other no matter what. I love that we can drive each other crazy and still love each other so fiercly. But now she has to go. It's the right time. It's an awesome opportunity for them. But that doesn't mean I'll miss her less. Love you, sis. You know that I wouldn't trade you for a million other sisters....even if you did used to make me play Barbies.....

Oh, and one more thing......
She's going to be a mommy.....

Forget

Sometime, I admit it. I forget. I forget that what I do around kids makes a big impact. I forget that when I have a bad day and snap at one of them or I'm tired (so incredibly tired) after 6 weeks of camp and I don't invest in them as I should they notice. I forget that they remember people and faces and little things you do like play with them or just sit and talk to them. I forget that they have a counselor for a week and never forget their name or their face. I forget that they sit at the pool and talk to a lifeguard about something important in their life and remember that conversation the rest of their lives.
Today I was reminded. I had craft with 14 and 15 year old boys. Not a common thing. Most times they are scheduled for other activities, but today crafts was thrown at them. They had great attitudes. They were probably the most creative group I've had all week. The coolest part was that we got to sit and talk for 45 minutes with no interruptions and no one judging them for doing so. Most of them have been coming to this camp for years. One of them almost 8 years. 8 YEARS! They remembered counselors names, games they had played and buildings they had stayed in. They came back over and over because they loved it here. Something was different here.
Sometimes I'm overwhelmed with the incredible privilege that I have working here. I'm overwhelmed that God choses to use me in a place that reaches over a 1,000 kids every summer. He uses me to show kids His love and his sacrifce for them. May I never take it for granted. May I never again forget that each child is precious to Him. And may I never forget that when I am nothing and completely out of His way, He can be everything though me.

Good idea

I got an idea from one of the many blogs I read. Use your garage door as a back drop for photos. My sister was at my parents for the weekend. We decided to try it out. Good time. We laughed and made faces and took some great pics. It was evening and the lighting was great. She moves on Saturday. I've never lived far from my family. Even with college, we were all within 4 hours of each other. Now, it's a whole half of the country away. I guess most people are used to it, but it's going to be a tough transition for me.

Will post the pics when I finish playing with them in PS. Try out the backdrop idea. It's amazing!

boat ride

Tonight, I hopped on the boat that my "blond bombshell friend" (liked that one didn't you, skippy!) was driving. I was taking pictures of the kids riding on the banana boat. In the midst of dropping them off and picking up new riders, I got this one.
L-O-V-E IT!

After my ride was over, I roamed around to get some more shots but none can compare to this gem. The fact that my little Kodak Easyshare did what my eye was "seeing" makes cry a little. As much as I complain that I want a new, bigger and better camera, this little guy is one great purchase that I'm so very glad that I made.
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Oswald

This book is exactly what I need right now. I've read it and re-read it many many times. It's broken down by days. The last 2 months, each day, has been exactly what I needed. It's making me think. It's making me uncomfortable. It's making me realize how selfish and full of myself I am. The verses that go along with each entry have been chipping away at my pride. 1st and 2nd Corinthians are my books this summer. God is working on me big-time and he's using a preacher from 75 years ago to do it. Amazing.
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At work last night.....

...I took these. The humidity was way down, so I ran for my camera during the evening hours. The light was perfect.





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Heat wave

It is hotter than Tom Welling. I didn't mess with this picture on purpose so you could see the haze in the sky. It was 80 degrees at 8:00am. Even color seems to be suffering in this heat. The trees look gray.
Here's hopin' that it stays in the 90's tomorrow.....
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Enjoying this...

...awesome CD, in the midst of this heat wave. Imogen Heap's album Speak for Yourself.

Nice to see you

My good friend M came to visit today. We grew up together. Many a good memory of youth group van trips and summer camp. She's married now and lives a couple states away, so we don't get together very often. I miss her desperately and treasure every moment we get to spend together now. She expecting her first little one and I can't wait to have another baby to spoil.
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What was that?

This week, the kids are making sailboats (little wooden boats with paper sails, mind you) in crafts. Most have turned into pirate ships (thank you very much, Johnny Depp). As they were working today, I decided to start writing down some of the phrases that came out of their mouths. Here they are...

"I can paint at turbo speed. Wanna see?"

"The engine in my boat is as big as 500 fat cows and 2oo tall buildings."

"It's my imagination ship. It can have anything on it I want. Like zombies."

"I made a sketch. Wanna see?"
my reply: that's really good, Dakota. What is a sketch anyway?
"Well, it's basically a pre-made picture that you color in."

"Do you know the sun is blind?"

"I always make me suns with glasses so they can see"

I never get tired of sitting with these kids and watching them create. Their imaginations are incredible. The way they see the world is something I never want to forget or take for granted.

Do you....

....have a collection?
From Stacy Julian's free Big Picture project.


My answer:

Books. I have tons of books. I still have my collection of Babysitters Club that I devoured as a kid. I can't part with them. The last book I bought....um....oh yeah, bought one yesterday. Elsie Flannigan's new book. I really like her style.

What is something.....

you use every single day, something that you could live without-but wouldn't want to?
From Stacy Julian's free Big Picture project

My answer:

Chapstick. I'm totally addicted. And it has to be a good kind too. Lip Smackers in Watermelon is on my nightstand and Pink Lemonade is on my key chain (have one of those lids that attatches to my keychain.) Plus I just bought some Kiss My Face in Peach. Just because.

"What would you do....

if you had one free afternoon to do anything you wanted, what would it be?"
This question is from Stacy Julian's free BIG PICTURE project.

My answer:

Right now, at this point of the summer my answer would be take a nap. By week 4 of camp, I'm exhausted 24/7. With limited free time, I stay up late a night to work on projects and just spend time in the Word (cause life would be impossible with my God and I time). I love to get in a nap during my 24 hours off on Saturday. It's heaven....mmmmm....

In other times, my answers are:

grab a book and sit on the porch and read

Watch a TV show (whichever series I'm hooked on at the moment) on DVD

Head outside and take some pictures

Go shopping

Clean my house (yes, I like cleaning my house. really. weird, I know.)


What about you?

Inspiration

Got this awesome book/magazine at Barnes and Noble this weekend. I love the design this magazine SIMPLE SCRAPBOOKS has. I get great ideas for cards and albums. I had been getting stuck thinking of different themes for some of the cards I make and how to say the same thing like "happy birthday" or "thank you" or "just a quick note" over and over again. This book is full of different questions to get you thinking and maybe even take your train of thought in a whole new direction.
I was inspired and have some great ideas in the works.

I've also been thinking about my blog. I read so many blogs from so many different types of people each day. I love them! They inspire me and make me think. Too often, I don't do the same on my blog. I'm in a hurry and just post a picture. I want to make more use of this blank canvas in front of me every day. So, I've decided to choose some questions, like the ones in this book, but not entirely, to write. If what I say inspires you to think too, let me know! I'd love to hear from you.
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Traffic nightmare

Sometimes, it's so great to have your camera in the car with you. This time is was to have proof of the nightmare I trapped in. See for yourself....
Saturday, spur of the moment, I went to visit my family. We went to see a movie and just spend some time together before my sister moves away. Took me 45 minutes to get to them. We went to see Pirates like everyone else in the US apparently. (it was okay, but no where near as good as the first. But it was worth it to see Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow run across a suspension bridge. I couldn't stop laughing. Love his characters!) We had to search out several theaters to find a showing that wasn't sold out. The movie ended and I jumped in the car to go home. Then I encountered THIS (see above photo). Apparently the state highway administration decided to shut down the ENTIRE south bound side of this overcrowded highway. 3-4 lanes completely stopped. Roadwork. It was so nice of them to post the sign only 5 miles before the actual work too. By the time I saw the sign I had been sitting in traffic for over an hour already. Then, they decided to shift everyone into 1 lane to do a detour, but not really tell you where to go on the detour. I felt like I was driving in circles in some cruel horror movie that never ended.

And how long did it take me to get home? 2 HOURS

Typical evening sunset

Yes, typical. It is just about this beautiful every night. Never been anywhere else in the world, besides maybe Loch Lomond, Scotland, where I have seen sunsets this beautiful. Love it!
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my new "friend" Alice

I found this book by chance in the biography section (my favorite) of the library. I grabbed it along with about 10 other books cause I can never make up my mind when I'm standing there with so many choices and because they are FREE. From the first sentance I was hooked. As Alice says in the book, it was like opening a book and finding a kindred spirit. It's about Alice Steinbach's travels through Europe. Middle aged woman who decided to take a leave of absence from her reporting job to travel by herself. It's all about the people she met and the places she experienced. I fell in love with it! I've already given it away as a present. I love when an author seems to write the way I think. I think we could be friends. It makes me want to travel more and not rush. Enjoy the moment. Sit and sip tea on the veranda. Experience life instead of watching it go by. Check it out.....

Today at snack shop I had....

I can't get enough of blue "Original" flavored Sun Chips right now. I'm a dearly, devoted fan of the Cheddar flavor, but had to try the blue after the Cheddar had sold out. Right now, it hits the spot. 4 days in a row. And a Fruit Roll-up just takes me back to elementary school. We hardly ever had them growing up, so I'm making up for lost Roll-up yumminess.
Yesterday we had a killer storm. WIND like a tornado. There were tree branches down all over the place. Our floating climbing wall is now beached (and not in the middle of ocean thankfully). The rain came in LARGE drops. Lightning, thunder. But it all was gone by the time fireworks began. I was blessed enough to watch them with 150 kids running around and laughing. If you could bottle up kid's laughter and sell it, I think it could cure the blues. It just makes me smile everytime I hear it.
Tonight, I'm getting off the property (gasp! a life outside of summer camp?!!) to hang with the Europe trip crew. I'm sure lots of reminiscing and laughter will be had by all. Also, a reminder that I still haven't printed out the 600 pictures that I took. Need a part time job to pay for the developing of my photography obsession.
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pile of colors

Last night, I was supposed to drive the boat, but the tide was so low that we couldn't get the boat off the lift. (doesn't that just seem crazy after we had soaking rains for so long last week!) I had an hour and a half to find something to do until my next "job" for the day. Ran and grabbed the camera off the counter and started shooting. I got some great shots of the kids on the beach. This is one of my favorites (yes, I know there are no children, but can't post those here). There is only one table on the beach. Each night, it's filled with towels, shoes, shirts, shorts and sunscreen bottles. The owners of these items were happily screaming and laughing on the banana boat.

Shots from last week

Craft time in the basement....
And LOTS of HOT, HUMID summer weather.
The kids are LOVING the pool this week. I'm loving taking pictures of them. This is one of my favorites. Lots of blue water and kiddie toes.
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