Time Flies When You're Having Fun

Does anyone else find it hard to believe that Randy and I have been married for 15 YEARS?! That's right, today was the 'ol 15th anniversary! Several weeks ago while Randy was still in Abilene, I was kind of bummed because I hadn't bothered to look at the calendar to note the actual day of our anniversary; all I knew was that he would be at camp on the 27th. Even as early as Sunday of this week, when the date was obviously growing closer, I was thinking that our anniversary was on Thursday, so it was a pleasant surprise to realize that, in actuality, I would get to spend at least part of my anniversary with my husband!

I took Peyton and Sawyer up to camp for a visit today. In the past when I have taken various kids for a visit, we have timed it so that we arrive as Free Time begins (1:30) and we leave at suppertime (5:30). So we loaded up and headed out at approximately 11:30, and either I have a lead foot or it's a lot quicker to take 315 rather than the 270 loop because we made the drive in about an hour and a half. I didn't want to get there at 1:00 p.m. because all campers have a mandatory rest period and I didn't want to cool my heels for half an hour. Fortunately, we hadn't eaten lunch so we stopped at Arby's and filled our tanks.

When we got to the campground, I parked the car and believe it or not, before we had even gotten to the mess hall Tyler came bursting out the door, calling and waving to us! Randy came next, and he immediately pressed us into service, working in the canteen with him. I never would have thought I would say this, but it was FUN! Peyton felt so important, taking everyone's orders and delivering their candy and cokes (with a smile, of course!). Sawyer found a soccer ball and kicked it around while we finished up, and then it was off to find Darcy. She was in the pool and was EXTREMELY excited to see us! As predicted, the first thing she did was introduce me to her new "best friend," and then she ticked off the names of all of her other friends and cabin mates. Randy assured me that she is having a GREAT time.

Tyler was in a basketball tournament so we actually didn't get to spend a whole lot of time with him (though every time he saw me he hugged me pretty tightly), and since Darcy was still swimming (the girls and boys each get to swim at a particular time each day and we arrived at Girls' Swim Time) we decided to check out the craft cabin. Today was "Red, White and Blue Day" and they were making all kinds of cute crafts, which Peyton was eager to try. There were quite a few crafts to choose from (campers may do any or all of them) so Peyton chose to make a patriotic necklace. It's really cute--it's a wooden flag flanked by red beads and blue stars on each side. While I was overseeing her stringing efforts, Darcy came in and joined us so we probably spent an hour in the craft cabin. The girls made flag pins (tiny beads threaded onto safety pins in a flag design), the aforementioned flag necklaces, red/white/blue airplanes, foam Uncle Sam heads . . . and I think that's it. Randy helped Sawyer make one of the airplanes and he was really pleased by it.

Yesterday's craft was to take a wooden snake that had grooves cut into it that caused it to actually "slither" in your hands--it was really cool--and paint it to your liking. Those caught Sawyer's eye in a big way and he asked if he could have one. I told him that those were crafts belonging to other kids and that they were just waiting for the paint to dry, and that they would be sad if they came back to get their snake and found it missing. I guess one of the counselors overheard me because the next thing I knew, she was sneaking up behind Sawyer with an unfinished snake and making it slither at him! Of course she offered it to him and he gratefully accepted it.

Next on the agenda was canoeing. Darcy had already announced her intention to go but I made it clear that I had no interest in going. I don't know why, but I cannot relax when I'm in a canoe (and, to the best of my knowledge, today was only the second time I've been in one!). But when it all shook out, Peyton was in a canoe with one group of kids and Randy, Darcy and Sawyer were in another (with room for a fourth person, of course) so I hopped in. I can't say I enjoyed myself, but at least we didn't tip over (which happened the FIRST time I went canoeing!).

After that I took a quick peek at Darcy's cabin and saw her cute little bunk spread up all nice and neat (her group has won the prize TWICE for having the neatest cabin). We ran into Tyler then, so I spent some time talking to him while Randy went and made arrangements to slip away for dinner. So, even though we had to take Peyton and Sawyer with us, we DID manage to have an anniversary dinner together! We dropped him back at the campground around 7:30 and got home right at 9:00.

The timing was perfect, too, because right after I got Peyton and Sawyer into bed I heard a big clap of thunder so I had just enough time to bring our patio furniture pads into the garage so they wouldn't get rained on. The temperature is supposed to be about ten degrees cooler tomorrow with low humidity so I may actually get a chance to sit on my furniture, and I'd just as soon not sit in a puddle!

My only regret about the whole day is that I didn't have my camera with me--I can't always rely on my brain to recall these memories, and I could have gotten some very memorable photos today! We were soggy, muddy, dusty, dirty, grimy . . . and very happy.