Kids N Puppies, Puppies N Kids!!

Almost two weeks ago, we went to the beach with our friends and their dog and puppies!!  There were six puppies and seven kids, three adults at the beginning, two at the end.  It was such a fun day!!  It was a big day for Shorty.  He doesn't like dogs and is usually very afraid of them.  BUT.....he actually picked up a puppy a couple of times and became very comfortable, even holding one in the car on the drive home.

Our friends have moved away!!  We will and do miss them dearly but we know they will bring sunshine wherever they go!!  We love you Friends!!  Thanks for the GREAT day!

One of the many reasons I love my sweetheart!

He has an incredible ability to help the children with their doctrinal understanding.  It is never a question of time or energy.  If they have a question, he is there.  And almost always the answer is, 'Let's look in the scriptures,' or 'Let's see what the prophets have said about that.'  I just happened to be sitting next to Speedy with the camera when I got this photo.  (Trying more to capture relationships in my photography.  What a fun challenge :-)

....Waiting.....

Don't you just feel like this some times?  Here Shorty and Smiley are waiting for Spanky's and Scuff's party guests to arrive......

They are taking SOOOOO long!

Sometimes I feel like this when I am waiting for an answer from the Lord, or when I am expecting a life change, any minute, or waiting for a new baby to arrive, even just growing up.  Some things just take time and we have to wait for the process to unfold.

Here are Scuff and Spanky sporting some of their gifts......love the hips Spanky....really?

Spanky has been waiting for that magical number.....18.  He was waiting to finish high school.  Now he is just waiting until he leaves for college....right around the corner.

Scuff has been waiting for a different magical number.....16.  Congratulations guys!


I'm sure the time will fly and pretty soon, the two in the first picture will be the ones posing like the second picture.  In the mean time, I get to watch the process.  No waiting here.  Just trying to enjoy the scenery before it all passes me by.......  Then I'll get to watch the grand kids.....

I Can't WAIT!!

A Pirate says, "AAAARRRRRRR!!"

So, the other day, the kids decided they wanted to play pirates!  Speedy dressed them all in 'pirate' attire.  They put the PVC marshmellow shooters together for weapons, and taped several toilet paper rolls together for eye glasses.  They made Sun swab the deck!!  And then Scuff decided to have a little fun, dressed himself, and went out hunting pirates.  I heard everything explode when Scuff found them in the garage and I was sure someone had died!!  Turns out, he just scared them all half to death!  Another sweet story for a big brother!

Thoughts from Camp.......

What to say??  Girls' camp holds a special place in my heart, now and forever.  For me, camp was a safe place where I felt whole.  The things that were wrong in my life weren't at camp.  The Spirit was there, though at that age, I didn't recognize what I was feeling.  Camp allowed me to learn and make friends, but more importantly, it developed my testimony.  I LOVED the way I felt at camp!!  It was something I didn't believe could be duplicated.

Now, as an adult, I recognize that familiar Spirit.  It CAN be duplicated every time I read my scriptures, pray, attend the temple, or just enjoy any meeting where the Spirit is.  But, even as an adult, camp has a special place in my heart.  Mostly because I recognize there are probably several girls, who, like me at that age, are feeling that familiar Spirit but not quite recognizing what it is.  Camp is sacred space where testimonies are growing....some are just being planted, some are being nursed over in tender years, some are being solidified, all are being shared.

I love camp because for me, it is where those first few blossoms of testimony began!  As an adult, I desperately hope we create a fertile atmosphere for testimony development.  Luckily, the stake which I live in, also knows the importance and significance of girls' camp.  The leaders plan months and months in advance.  Those who serve at camp are prayed about and called and released after camp is over.  Serving in camp is not a gift to be taken lightly and it doesn't just happen because you want to go.  I feel so very, very blessed to have been able to attend for the last five years.  And, of course, I certified for all four years again as an adult.  That was fun.

Here are two of the adults I served with.  Teri (center) is the stake YW President.  Kris (right) is the YW Camp Director.  At one time, a couple of years ago, Teri was still the stake YW Pres, Kris was her first counselor, and I was her second counselor.  Good times then and now!!  Thanks for letting us serve, still together, just in different capacities... more gifts from camp!