Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Eat your heart out...


We just arrived home this morning after a 2 week trek west.

Tom really enjoyed teaching in his parents church Kids For Christ camp at the start of our trip. The kids loved hanging out with their French cousins who were also attending camp.




























We were able to put together a candelit dinner to celebrate Mom and Dad's 40th anniversary (with 3 of their 4 children and their families present)--thanks to Julie for all her creativity and work to pull this off. The grandkids enjoyed our anniversary present as much as Nana and Gramps--we had the family movies transferred from 8 mm to DVD. What a superb example of marriage and family they are to me and all of us.





















On Sunday we participated in Isaac's dedication to the Lord, alongside his little cousin, Preston. It is so special to have Tom's Dad perform this very special service with each of our children. No less moving the fourth time around! Wish you all could have heard Robb sing....

(Watch the video and hear it sung by Mark Harris here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knm492yxMfo)

Then it was on to Stanley, Idaho where we camped with Nana and Gramps, Tom's oldest sister and her family. Although it was raining the night we set up camp (a blessing to all the firefighters so it was hard to complain) the next day dawned absolutely beautiful with bright blue skies like only the west can produce. 3 nights camping there was way too short!

One of my favorite memories from the trip was driving to Stanley with Julie and just our two babies (mine was the quiet one!...and my nose is only 6 inches long). We've been friends for so long but with lots of miles and kiddos between us it is hard to stay "caught up." I loved catching up and when we ran out of things to talk we sang along to Rascal Flats (thanks for the intro Jules!) and Martina McBride--fun music, especially when headed camping out west.





We spent a few days alone at Nana and Gramps before heading home via Glacier National Park where just our family camped for 2 more nights. Josiah is our animal enthusiast so he was very excited that we got to see 5 black bears, 3 mountain goats (close enough to touch, many more from a distance), 1 coyote, 1 snake and countless deer, elk and antelope. Cole, our avid map reader, loved trying to figure out which hikes to take and really pleased his Dad by hiking just under 20 miles during our vacation. Josiah wasn't far behind, he finished just 2 miles less (Dad and Cole did one hike solo). Josiah really turned a corner in his trekking abilities on this vacation--his attitude was so positive and he seemed to really enjoy every second of the journey (and of course, Dad's heart swelled). Now, Maddie was a different story, she earned the nickname "backpack" for obvious reasons. Isaac loved riding in his backpack and smiled at every living thing on our jaunts. Except for a crazy sleep schedule (which is a big exception) he was a great traveler.

























And now we are home. Somehow the tasks of cleaning, laundry and finishing school supply shopping seem a little less exciting--but on the other hand home is a really sweet place to be and it feels so good to get it organized once again. With that goal in mind we shall keep working at setting things to order...but our hearts are so much fuller for the memories. We are truly blessed to have family that are not just relations, but love us, believe in us and want to share life's journey together. They contribute to our life so richly and leave us longing for the next time...

We are glad we don't have to get back in the "burban" for a while. It's been well broken in on this trip with more than one sick child, and a few shall we call them "restless souls". God Bless the Hendricks richly for loaning us their DVD player!!

It was so nice to come back home to messages from several friends wondering where we were. To those dear friends who have moved this summer--I am starting to realize a place feels like home when your unique, special place in your community is missed when you are not there to fill it. Hope you are finding your "spot" by now but remember to give it time.

13 comments:

Kimberly said...

Looks like a fun time was had...beautiful country! Nice anniversary "gift" for ya'll to be together!

julie f said...

Wow, so much to say! You captured our time together so well. I'm so glad you all were able to go to Glacier...it sounds like it was definitely worth it! Great memories!

We miss you all so much! Things are hopping around here and I'm so glad for the time we had with family.

We love you, all six! ;)

JenLo said...

sounds like a great trip!

Vonnie said...

Looks like you had an awesome time. The pictures are fabulous! I actually enjoy hiking and camping very much, I just have to invest in an air mattress. :) Check out my blog when you catch your breath and you can read about our "camping" trip.

Tara said...

Enjoyed your post so much, Jenny! (we are planning Reagan's dedication, and Derek is singing the Mark Harris song, also! love it!)
Looks like ya'll had a wonderful time. I should ask you for your expertise in family camping. We've never tried it, but have been talking a lot about whether our family would fare well in the great outdoors! (our oldest has some asthma, allergy issues, so I'm always wary of outdoorsy stuff.) Every time I see family camping pics, I think it looks so awesome, though!

Glad you're home safe. Wondering about your friend w/cancer as well....been praying for her.

kayla said...

Glad to see that you made it back home safely. The pictures are beautiful. Family camping trips ,in my opinion, are a must for a healthy family.

jenny said...

In regards to camping, we highly recommend it, but we've never had asthma or allergy issues to deal with. You might want to talk with Julie F as there oldest boy does but they just bring along the inhaler, it doesn't seem to slow them down.

I think with camping I would suggest two things:

1.) borrow equipment if possible when you first go so you can find out WHAT you want before you invest a lot in stuff you may not want (or even need).

2.) you have to go into it with the attitude "anything that can go wrong, will go wrong!" It's sort of part of the fun. Your kids will talk for years (or you will) about the time dad forgot the tent poles, the time the bear pooped outside your tent, or the night you had to set the tent up in the dark. BTW, these have all happened to us and some of them were not funny at the time but in retrospect are now. You also have to let got of your inhibitions regarding cleanliness--one tries but ultimately recognizes nature will prevail in putting more dirt, bugs and unidentified stuff onto your kids than you thought possible.

The true joy of camping to me is being unplugged from most of our "stuff" and being plugged into each other and the outdoors. For us, living in suburbia, camping is a necessity for survival!

Tara, you should definitely try it~~ask away if we can be of any help.

cheriepasbjerg said...

Jen
Wow, you guys had such a great time! Camping is one of our all time favorite things to do. You are right about the cleanliness factor. I am still learning to get over dirty finger nails on Sofie. (I am a work in progress) Great to see your dedication pictures we are doing that soon with Sofie at our church here. Ryan's parents are coming out for Sofie's 1st birthday and we are going to do it then.

I look forward to seeing all those pictures you are digging up!!eeeeeekkkkkks! So many great memories. My brother Johnny is the ever proliferate comment maker on all those. Big brother always tormenting his little sister. You think getting older it would get better, he never misses his chance, even now!! OH big brothers!

Ryan just got back from a fishing trip to Alaska-LUCKY--with his dad and I posted some pics.

Love ya!

Cara said...

I'm so glad you are back! I have thought about calling you several times and then I would remember that you were way out west! Glad to hear that you had a good trip--the pictures are great! I'll talk to you soon.

shauna said...

Jenny,

Julie showed me your blog. It is so fun to see your beautiful family! Wish we could see you all again. John would love to visit with Tom. I am so glad you all had a fun camping trip. It is one of my favorite things to do as well! Lots of fun family memories made!

Marty said...

Glad your back home! Sound like you had a wonderful trip. Our family loves the camping thing also...I think I'll have to tag along for a long time seeing that I have 3 boys who love the outdoors. I love it also!! I agree that one should borrow items the first couple times to see what you need and don't need. Larry says that I camp "city slicker"! Who cares, right?

As I told Jules, I would love to see the picture that yal found of Larry's family from many moons ago!!

Glad your back....missed you!

laura k said...

Loved reading about your trip - sounds like such a great time as a family! Where was that first picture taken? It's absolutely beautiful! I have always wanted to go out west, but have not had the opportunity yet...
Seeing your pictures reminded me of all the times I spent camping as a child - some great memories for me! I can't wait to create those memories with my kiddos...especially the moments like you mentioned when my dad forgot "such and such" and when it was dark by the time it was time to set up the tent, etc etc etc :) Although, we never had a bear poop outside our tent!
Thinking of you this week as you settle back in and send the boys off to school! Love, Hugs & Prayers ~Laura

Mary Ellen said...

Looks like so much fun - camping is our all time favorite thing to do as a family!