August 18-22 our family attended Renewing the Family Camp. We had a marvelous time fellowshiping with those we already knew, rekindling relationships with those we only see once a year, and we began several more friendships that, we hope, will last a lifetime! As soon as we arrived and checked in we set up camp. Wow, that was a LOT harder without Curtis, Dad's right-hand man! We girls got to help Dad back the trailer up, pop the beds out, get the camper hooked up and keep the boys out of trouble.  You can imagine how that went ;). That evening we had a "welcome to camp" session, during which we played Simon Says and sang My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean (complete with ups and downs on every "b"). Tuesday started the "regular schedule." Each morning began at 7:00 at the ultimate and volleyball field, the older kids and some parents met for an hour to two game before breakfast. After the early morning exercise we Marissa, Dad, and I headed back to the camper to clean up and help get breakfast ready and on the table. Nine forty-five found us on our way to Chapel. There we had a few minutes to chat before the 10 o'clock service started, 15 minutes past the hour =). Worship started off with announcements,  a few songs sung by Nathan Clark George, then we started working on singing in four part harmony with Rebecca, Beth, and Nathan Serven and Chad Roach leading us. Some of the hymns and psalms we sung are: It Is Well With My Soul, Hallelujah Praise Jehovah (one of the boys' all time favorites), and Psalms 65, 98, 127, 128, and 148.  After the singing Lanny Johnson, from Alpha and Omega Institute, or Mr. Kevin Swanson or Mr. Marcus Serven gave a talk. Lunch at our camper or with dear friends followed. In the afternoons we played Ultimate Frisbee, Volleyball, Putt-Putt, went canoe/kayaking on the "lake," or sat in the shade talking with others. Dinners we ate leisurely in the cafeteria with other families and afterwards walked over to the Chapel for another session. So that's our last week in a nutshell. 

Now we are home and getting ready for the boys' first week of school (Marissa and I still have 2 weeks before our school officially starts). In the pile of books that Mommy was cleaning up tonight she found a journal that she had started long ago, and in that journal she had a quote written and I thought I'd share it:

The life of every man is a diary in which he means to write one story, and writes another; and his humblest hour is when he compares the volume as it is with what he vowed to make it. 

~ J.M. Barrie

I have decided to try to keep this blog more up-to-date, so, now that you know, it will, hopefully keep me accountable to posting every now and then. 

-caity