This past weekend, Dan was leading music at retreat for the school and was invited to bring his family. We thought that it would be great to spend that time together when he wasn’t doing music so jumped at the chance. As we packed warm clothes, bedding and food for each of Aneliese’s meals, it felt as if we were going for a month rather than two nights. Aneliese was beside herself with excitement about going to “campus” and at first thought we would be sleeping in a tent but was more than satisfied with sleeping on a bunk. Once we arrived we realized that this camp was….rustic. The cabins were heated but most of the heat rose to the ceiling, leaving a very cold floor. The was no running water which means no bathroom which means using the outhouse in the -30 or so weather. My reaction was “in the middle of January? With a 2 1/2  and a 1 year old? NO way!” But there was no way we were going home, both because it was already later at night and because Aneliese was bouncing off the walls with happiness over our cabin.
I always want to be a flexible person and one who can make any situation work so after my initial protest I gave myself a pep talk. I grew up this way. I don’t need running water. I can put more layers on the girls and myself. So I have to walk to the outhouse, at night, in the cold. Aneliese and I will just use a bucket. So I did. Aneliese wouldn’t, nor would she use the outhouse, so the snow it was unless we drove to the washroom at the front of the camp. We spent the day playing in an old cabin with a wood stove and moving quickly between the various buildings (kitchen, dining hall, sleeping cabin and playing cabin). Other than some wool and a needle, I had nothing to take away from giving the girls my full attention and play which is always nice.

 

the only pictures from the weekend!

Enthralled with watching me felt a bird

Aneliese loved it because she had a little friend to play with and I was happy because I had his mama to visit with while our kiddos played non stop. By the time the weekend was done, my little family was tired, a little cold and ready to go home. But it was a good weekend. The director and his wife were very sweet. They did everything possible to make us comfortable, hot drinks, snacks, and gifts for our kiddos. I think I took one small step closer to being the grateful and gracious person that I want to be. Now to just work my initial reaction to situations that I don’t like. And to work on convincing Aneliese that I won’t let her fall down the big hole.