As we were catching up face to face on the past 3 years, it was an instant reunion!  Good friends are like that.  No matter how much time passes between visits, we pick up right where we left off ~ as if no time had passed at all.

It was interesting to hear Kema’s stories of washing laundry in the river, really BIG bugs, going to the market to get fresh produce (they eat lots of mangoes and papaya) and of course the stories of her children. 

As we talked, we both realized that across the miles and across the different cultures, we have many things in common.  There are days of plenty, days with challenges, people who are pleasant, friends and relationships that are difficult, times of celebration, and times of loneliness, days you feel fat and days you don’t care… but no matter, we are not alone.  God is always present.  He always provides.  He is Big!  He is love.  He is our Awesome God.  No matter where we are or what we are doing, we need Him.  We must to cling to Him in both the good and the not so good times!

We are thrilled to have Kema and her family “home” until Christmas… I will update you with more of their PNG stories. 

As we were driving back from Sparta, Juliana said, “Mom, my life is so good.  God keeps blessing me.  I can’t imagine what is next!”

That is my girl ~ keeping a positive look-out in anticipation for God’s blessings and being thankful along the way!

I couldn’t have said it better.  God has richly blessed me with a wonderful husband and the best kids… I love my family.  And I love how my kids are learning to acknowledge and give credit to God ~ the Giver of all good things ~ He is BIG, our AMAZING & AWESOME GOD! 

How I thank Him for His provision in our family life!

But now Rob has a new love… mountain biking… every day… every where.

He loves it so much, that he bought the kids new bikes ~ mountian bikes and all the necessary gear ~ and we’ve been riding the horse trails around Willoughby. 

This past week-end, we took the kids to visit my parents in Sparta and while there, we rode 17 miles on the Virginia Creeper Trail.  It was a blast ~ a perfect family adventure! 

The trail is part of the rails to trails program and is 68 miles round trip.  We rode the top 17 miles and enjoyed riding on the old train trestles along the river.  There were gorgeous overlooks of the blue ridge mountains and the gorges below.

Juliana said it was the best bike ride of her life! 

Nathan was all about speed… wonder who he gets his competitive nature from?  And Rob and I were thrilled that the kids had picked up so quickly on his new sport!

Long summer week-ends in the mountains.  Ahhhh!  We are planning another family adventure ride soon… Come along!

Last week, while the kids were at camp, Rob and I enjoyed a date night ~ every night!  It was a wonderful week for the two of us. 

On the last day before the kids returned, I sent Rob a text from my office: 

Are you up for a super date?

He quickly responded:

Always!

What is my idea of a super date?  I arranged to get off of work at noon, made reservations for Rodeo Rafting (guarenteed to throw you out of the raft), Mega Zipline, and Rock Climbing at the Whitewater Rafting Center, Mountain Biking, then Dinner at our favorite ourdoor cafe and a movie… then back to our very quiet house…

That’s my favorite date: loads of outdoor action, an intimate dinner, optional movie and then back to our home for romance… could it get better than that?

We actually had talked about my idea of a super date earlier in the week so I was surprised when I got home from work to find Rob all smiles and feeling quite amorous…

He made romantic advances which led to some “afternoon delight.”  Then he fell asleep.  And while he slept, we missed our rafting reservations.  I had to wake him up so we didn’t miss out on dinner too.

As we were driving to the restaurant I asked, “Why did you decide to skip all the outdoor fun?  You seemed so excited about that… and you know I was.”

“What?  I thought you changed your mind,” Rob said.

“Now why would you think that, Rob?  You know I love outdoor adventure.”

Apparently Rob needs glasses.  He misread my text to say: 

Are you ready for a sugar date? 

And then interpreted sugar to mean “let’s get naked all afternoon.”  Where does he get this stuff?

We went back and checked my text and there was no “sugar” anywhere at all.  All night, I teased Rob about his new definition for sugar and how old he really must be… needing glasses and all.  How could I let something that easy pass by?

We still had a terrific date… any time with Rob is great… and I learned so much about him too:

Besides his need for glasses, it is obvious that Rob still has a one track mind! 

And I have learned a whole new meaning for the word sugar!

Juliana was entertaining herself with a blue Chiquita sticker that read:

We laughed all the way home over that silly blue sticker!  Ahhh!  Children…

Don’t you see that children are God’s best gift? Psalm 127:3 (MSG)

How I thank God for my daughter!

It thrills me to observe Juliana taking care of Paws:  feeding her, walking her, painting her paw-nails (pink of course!), sleeping with her, nurturing her back to health from her unhealthy early days… Juliana is a fantastic “mommy” to her dog.  And I know that she will one day be a super mom to her own children!

Although Rob did not admit it, I am betting that Juliana’s progress was not coming along quick enough for him.  I’d like to say Rob was sad to see Juliana suffering so, but there was really no suffering.  She didn’t feel bad, fever was marginal, tummy ache all but gone, normal appetite, normal activity…  Not to mention the fact that she was safely tucked away in a mountain lodge with her daddy, and she had her daddy all to herself.  Isn’t that what every princess wants?  To be alone in her castle with the prince of her dreams.

Since it was a camp rule that Juliana had to be fever-free for 24 hours before she could return to Camp Lurecrest, Rob decided to take the healing time in his own hands.  Please keep in mind that our children have rarely been given medication ~ not even tylenol.  With a chiropractor for a mom, we most often opt for natural healing methods.

So are you ready for Rob’s home remedy? 

He purchased a bottle of Pepto-Bismol and insisted Juliana down a good bit of it — but wait, there’s more!  He forced Juliana to chase the detestable chalky pink liquid down with pizza… That’s right, I said pizza!  Greasy Pizza!

The results were almost instantaneous.  Juliana threw up (can you imagine the colors?), her fever broke and she was ready to leave the castle!  Couldn’t get back to camp fast enough!

At first I was appalled!  Pizza and the Pink Stuff.  What was he thinking?” But Rob got the results he wanted.  Juliana got well and was able to get back to camp.   

An older friend of our family, a seasoned grandfather, was amused but not at all surprised by Rob’s method or his formula for taking care of Juliana.  “Michelle, didn’t you know Rob’s remedy is in the Father’s Handbook?” 

No I did not.  I’d never even heard of the book.  It’s intuitive I presume.

I am learning that men are, by God’s design, motivated by results — solution oriented and outcome focused.  I have to admit, I would have never dreamed up the pepto-bismol pizza concoction on my own.  I get queasy just typing about it.  And I am guessing my results would have come much later in the day. 

Bottom Line:

Never underestimate the power of a godly man.  God works through them… and their home remedies.

That all changed with a phone call from the camp nurse at 8:30 Tuesday night.  Seems Juliana had a mild temperature of 100 degrees.  Due to Swine Flu precautions, children with any fever at all are not allowed to stay in the camp infirmary.  We must come get her now!

Rob and I were both disappointed for Juliana.  We hated that her first camp experience away from home had such an interuption.  She had been having so much fun.  Juliana had actually checked in with the camp nurse because she had a tummy ache ~ no luck using the bathroom… Taking her temperature was standard procedure and elicited an unfavorable incidental finding.

Since I was still at my office, Rob volunteered to make the 3 hour drive up the mountains and rescue the princess from the Infirmary.  But he was very strategic in his method.  He packed a small bag with clothes and some paper work which would allow him to stay in a logde for a night or two.  His hope was that Juliana’s fever would soon return to 98.6… wait 24 hours… and then he could deliver her back to camp to finish out her camp experience.

And right on schedule as Rob anticipated, Juliana’s fever returned to normal on Wednesday and went back to camp on Thursday.  She promised to make Rob a coffee mug if she got to go back to “Arts and Crafts.”

Rob sacrificed for his little girl.  It would have been much easier on him to turn around and bring her home.  But Rob selflessly put his comfort, his convenience and his needs on the back burner so he could give Juliana a chance to return to Camp Lurecrest.

That is just one of the many ways Rob has sacrificed for our kids.  He is an amazing dad!  And I vote him dad of the year!

Don’t let their sweet faces fool you.  Those dogs are in a heap of trouble!  Just what do I mean?

In one week:

• ate a chair
• chewed through storage cabinet in garage (it was locked with a metal padlock)
• chewed through food storage bin
• ate all the food (gained 15 pounds)
• chewed through 2^nd storage cabinet
• spilled several cans of paint ~ AGAIN!
• knocked over and broke a bird feeder made by Rob’s Grandpa
• Chewed volume 1 of Spurgeon’s Writings (also belonged to Rob’s Grandpa)
• Ate one of my plants
• Ate a 2^nd plant including the pot in our courtyard
• Ate a latex glove
• Ate glass
• Nipped at a visitor ~ drew blood
• Ate my bike helmet
• Chewed the seat right off of Juliana’s bike
• Ate a roller blade
• Chewed through the garage wall
• Ate the pink insulation out of the wall
• Chewed through the invisible fence collar ~ for the 3^rd time

I’ve just about had it with those dogs.  But Rob and I don’t see eye to eye on this matter.  I threatened to send the dogs to military school… He said if I did, he was going with them. 

That was until today when we came home to find yet another garage cabinet chewed into pieces.  I said nothing.

I overheard Rob talking to Bear, his beloved chocolate lab, “You used to be such a good dog.  Now you’ve turned into Marley.  I am mad at you!”

Pray for us… I don’t know who will survive the terrible chewings… yes I do.  The dogs can chew their way out of anything… as for Rob and me?  I am betting Rob will soon be off to military school!

• sleeping bags
• flashlights
• camp clothes that can get real dirty
• toothpaste (I am a mother you know)

I enlisted each of my kids to help me pack their bags.  It actually made packing fun.  As we put their clothes into their camp bags, I was able to talk one-on-one with my kids about their expectations for camp, my expectations for their camp experience and pray with them regarding their upcoming week away from home.

We were ready, so I thought.  We dropped the kids off at the Lurecrest Bus Depot with at least 100 other campers.  My kids fell right in place with the check-in process.  I, on the other hand, was grateful for my sunglasses.  I didn’t want my kids to see me cry… as I looked around, I seemed to be the only mother crying.  And the kids, well, they were doing just fine. 

I have been away from my kids before but they’ve always stayed with my parents or close family friends.  The difference?  Rob and I have always been able to call them, text them or at least send/receive a daily email.  But not at Camp Lurecrest.  Cell phones are not permissible.  No communication for 7 days ~ except for cards and care packages!

I fully trust God with their care and protection.  I know they are in good hands.  And my prayer is that they would see God move on the Camp Lurecrest Mountain Top in a mighty way… that they would have a life marker experience with God away from Rob and I so they would be drawn in to a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ — without the influence and presence of mom and dad.

My deepest desire for Nathan and Juliana is that their walk with the Lord will grow deeper each day.

OK  Off to mail their care packages… I miss them so much already!