Tent Camping & Why our Family Loves it

The view I had while cooking dinner in New Brunswick.

Dappled shadows danced upon the red filmy fabric above my head, as I groggily woke from sleep to the sound of birds and crashing waves. Poking my head from the tent, I felt the salty breeze caress my face, and my heart soared. True, the bathroom was a few minutes' walk away, requiring me to pass by other campers, some already stoking their fires and some still asleep. But I loved seeing the ocean as I walked, and the constant wind woke my mind and soul, easily drawing me to God.

My family and I have just returned from 19 days away, 8 nights of which were spent tent camping, but almost all 19 of which included vast quantities of time spent outside. Putting on sunscreen and bugspray were daily routines, as we figured we'd always have at least a few hours outside, if not the whole day and night. Thankfully our holiday was spent north and northeast (in Quebec, the Maritimes, and Maine), so the temperatures were mild and (except for a few days too cold or rainy) I loved every minute in the great outdoors.

As we neared the end of our vacation, and began staying in rooms instead of our tent, I actually felt a loss. I might be the only one crazy enough to say it, but I truly preferred a campsite to a hotel room! I know my children felt similarly. My daughter feels like she's been 'gypped' by not having had more tent camping experience in her early childhood. She is jealous of me, knowing that I camped every year as a child.

So what were my thoughts? Here are some reasons we loved our camping experience...

1) While camping, everyone needs to work together to accomplish the most basic tasks. This (ideally) builds teamwork. To be frank, we weren't the best at this, and it often caused angst and fighting. But I know we can do better and regardless, it was good for the kids to learn basic skills and to see that they're needed.

Ethan and Naomi help unload the rooftop carrier

 2) Fresh air is refreshing for the soul (and good for the body)! I admit that living in constant fresh air would have been a lot less pleasant had we been in warmer, more humid climes. But even during sunnier or warmer times, when I started to feel less comfortable, I learned to appreciate shade and water much more! We enjoyed all the various scents that come with fresh air ... pine trees, flowers, ocean salt ... and loved being one with the world around us. We noticed more clouds, stars, animals, plants than we ever would have inside. I know that some people need more constantly regulated air supplies and even for health reasons, need to be inside. But I'm the opposite. I love nature, love the feeling of moving air touching my face, and feel claustrophobic when inside, especially if it's too warm and still.

The kids are so happy to arrive at our campground after a long day of driving!

3) We learned that life can be very simple. My cooking supply box had only the essentials and it was refreshing to cook using minimal dishes and utensils. True, we had to wash those dishes after every meal since there were no extras. But despite the complaints of the children regarding this, I'm sure that we didn't spend any more time hand-washing and drying than we do at home, rinsing, loading and unloading the dishwasher. Rather, we learned to conserve water (since the kids had to fetch it from the spigot, never in our own campsite) and to work speedily and efficiently.

Not only was cooking more simple, so was our fun and our space. The kids got by with the few games and books they'd brought, and weren't distracted by mounds of superfluous toys. Our clothes were limited, our bedding didn't need to be "made up" each day, and there was no space for extra mess. This was especially refreshing when compared to the messy, cluttered home we usually live in.

Most critically, since our cell phones didn't work in Canada and we had to go out of our way to find internet for our laptop, we were almost completely unplugged, which is one of the best ways to be simple and enjoy life moment by moment.

The kids help Steve put up our brand-new tent.

4) We were together. This had its challenges, as I sometimes felt that we were too together. But not usually. At home, even in our small townhouse, we spread out to different rooms, choose different activities, sometimes not talking much and not generally sharing the same experiences. While camping, we shared everything, even going to the bathroom/showers! We went to bed at the same time, got up at similar times, shared in kitchen duties when it was meal time, enjoyed games, drives or hikes together when duties were finished. At night, we read Anne of Green Gables together in the tent. Of course there were many times when we got on each others' nerves, and since we had varying expectations of the 'ideal vacation,' we couldn't always please everyone with our activity choices. But even in that, we learned to give and take. We practiced compromise and (tried to have) positive attitudes. I think that overall, it was a blessing to live life together.

The kids on the Skyline Trail, in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.

 Other reasons we enjoyed camping include:
   * singing folksongs with guitar around a campfire
   * meeting interesting and friendly people
   * not needing to sweep or vacuum
   * not needing to clean bathrooms
   * eating s'mores -- enough said!
   * freedom for children to run around and get dirty

A few things that were more difficult...
   * noise, especially when an untaut tarp is overhead and wind is blowing violently, or when a newcomer drives into the spot right next to your tent at 11 PM and you've already gone to bed
   * bathrooms being far away when you desperately have to go, and especially when you have to take your half-asleep child one more time around midnight
   * dirt and bugs (if you care -- I chose to just take it in stride)
   * most campgrounds now do not let you bring in your own firewood, so campfires were an extra expense and not one we could indulge in every night. 
  
All in all, I'm so grateful to have had those few weeks in Canada, and while appreciative of beds and couchsurfing hosts when we had them, am even more thankful for the nights we camped. God's world is an amazing place and to be part of it was a privilege and a joy.

Cape Jourimain, New Brunswick

Reflections on Sports

My first memories of sports are fond ones. I remember kindergarten field days and winning a second place red ribbon in the standing long jump. I remember happily running through my family student housing neighborhood, and learning how to ride a bike.

But as elementary years progressed, I felt less and less happy about sports. I didn’t have a physically active family, so didn’t have any weekend practice at throwing, batting, or catching balls. I seemed to be uncoordinated when a moving object was approaching me and I had to make it go somewhere else. And because I felt I was bad at sports, I chose to not even try. I remember even lying sometimes to my teacher when it was P.E. time, saying that I didn’t feel good so that I could sit on the side, watching everyone else do baseball or some other game.

Upper elementary was the worst. By then, kids were choosing their own teams in P.E. games, and I was inevitably one of the very last picked. I remember being proud of my time after running the mile, but everything else was negative.

Finally, in sixth grade, I had a long-term substitute teacher who was really kind, and spotted an ability I didn’t know I had. While I thought I was bad at everything athletic, she helped me see that I was pretty good at sports like basketball, where I could have the ball already in my hand and then make it go somewhere. Soon I was playing basketball everyday during recess, and even the boys were calling me “Magic.” Basketball continued to be my favorite game through middle school years, and to this day, basketball and Frisbee are my most loved “sports.”

Junior high youth group leaders also had a huge influence on me. As I entered the group at age 10, I was self-conscious about my lack of physical ability, and in the midst of a boy-majority group, often chose not to play the games. But college-aged friends like Tracy and Katy encouraged me to just go out and try, and have a good time. And as the years passed, I became one of the most enthusiastic youth group game players. It’s what I missed most about youth group when I moved to Nigeria.

Now my own kids are 7 and 8. Since they have always been homeschooled, they have not had much experience with sports and group games. When I was invited to join a group of ex-pat families, meeting weekly at a park for sports and games, I excitedly went. My kids were shy and unsure of themselves, and it took a while for them to warm up to the group. But in the last few months, they’ve gotten to play volleyball, dodge ball, tag, and baseball with this group of kids ranging in age from 3 to 12. I’ve watched them grow from being timid and whiny, to being enthusiastic and risk-taking. And now they’re thrilled about being part of Amman Little League softball.

What made me so happy about the Tuesday park group was the sweet encouragement my children received from both kids and adults. They were cheered on, even when struggling to connect bat to ball. They were gently invited over and over again to join games that they weren’t sure about. They were made to feel a special part of the group.

When I think of the horrible feeling in my stomach, time and time again, at being ridiculed for my inability or at being picked last, I thank God that my kids have such a positive beginning. I want them to enjoy using their bodies and playing with others. I want them to grow in their skills, even if they’re never MVPs. I want them to feel good about being team players and to always have hope.

Edinburgh Trip -- Days 5 & 6

Monday, July 27, found us on a train to North Berwick, a village just east of Edinburgh. Friends Kate and Hugo had recommended the beach there and offered us birthday money to pay for the train (and ice-creams and sand toys!) We were grateful to be on a very short train journey instead of a 5 hour one!

Though it poured rain for the first few minutes after we’d arrived, the rest of the day was clear and beautiful. We were all so excited to be by an ocean again! Josiah ran right into the water, cold as it was. Naomi and Ethan began digging in sand.

I was able to find a hardware store and buy some gardening shovels, some different-sized plant pots, and a utility bucket. I figured these would all last longer under the kids’ play and abuse, plus I’d be able to make use of them once we got back to Oxford. I also got a long-handled net and a beach ball (both of which we’d lost by the end of the day – sigh…)

We started at the western beach, and after 1 ½ hours, walked through town to get to the eastern beach. There we found lots of tide pools, as well as a “paddling pool” (a walled-in bit of sea water for kids to play in). Naomi, Josiah and I went off to see what we could discover in the tide pools. I told them about doing the same thing with my grandma when I was their age. It’s one of my favorite memories of her.

We saw lots of hermit crabs, caught a few small crabs and fish, and saw some red sea anemones. Naomi and Josiah were amazed to see sea creatures right there in the wild! We ate baguette sandwiches for supper, lingered ‘til past 6 and finally walked back to the train station. I really really didn’t want to leave. If we hadn’t made plans to have friends come over for coffee that same evening, I would have been tempted to stay on the beach until past 8!

As it was, we got home around 8:30 and our friends came by for a “cuppa.” Inke was the secretary in the Edinburgh Centre for Muslim-Christian Studies when Steve studied there. She and her husband James were missionaries in Egypt for years before settling in Scotland. It was nice to catch up with them in person, just before they were leaving for a holiday of their own.

Tuesday, July 28, was pretty boring! We needed a day to relax at home so we didn’t go anywhere special. I took the kids to the nearby park, just a 5-minute walk away. Naomi preferred to stay at home, looking at her new seashells, though. Josiah wanted to stay home and watch the crab (the token animal we brought home).

At supper time, we caught a bus into town and enjoyed a nice dinner and visit with our friend Maristela Lima-Napier and her three boys, Jonathan (5), Andrew (2), and Daniel (newborn). We’d known her from church, and though we missed her husband Gary due to his being on a work trip, had a nice time talking with her and watching the kids enjoy each other.

Only two more days before it was time to head home…

The Golden Field

It was a sunny bank holiday here (Memorial Day in the U.S.) and our friend James Greig invited us to join his family on a nature walk near our homes. He wanted to take his kids, Alistair and Izzy, as well as ours to the "golden field," where buttercups take over during the month of May. Steve was in a class just then, but I happily brought Naomi, Josiah, and Ethan.

The Greigs brought along some nature guides, with the goal of finding and identifying various wildflowers. They also packed a lovely snack picnic of hot tea (a necessity for every British picnic!), "squash" (like Kool-Aid), and zucchini bread (which I'd made and given them earlier as a thank-you for babysitting).

Naomi and Josiah were very happy to have an outing with their friend Izzy (who is in their Sunday school class). It was great for me to see all three of them enjoying each other and having a good time. Ethan did not want to stay in the stroller (he'd been napping just before we set out), but instead got out to run ahead of me. What energy children have!

After jumping and running through the field of buttercups, the children's socks, shoes and/or toes were tinted yellow with pollen. We found quite a few species of flowers and later at our picnic, were able to identify many of them. Naomi even spotted an orchid!

In addition to flower-identifying, we looked for little critters. We found that a previous visitor had left some parsnips just outside what looked like the entrance to a rabbit tunnel. We saw many rabbit pellets, and Alistair even found some mole holes, but we never did see a critter in the flesh.

We were out for two hours and by the end, Ethan was losing steam. We'd all had a great time and were ready for a late supper. God has blessed us with sweet friends right on our own road, and has also given us the gift of living in a beautiful part of Oxford. We are grateful...

The Golden Field - pics

Duck, Duck, GOOSE!

On our way home from town on Wednesday, the kids and I stopped in "Parson's Pleasure" (a small riverside section of the huge University Parks) for a much-needed break.

Every Wednesday is a marathon for us, as it's our "in-town" day. We attend an unstructured play-time at a church in City Centre. We buy a week's worth of fresh fruit and veg at an open market. Sometimes (as was true this week) we visit Central Library and pick up a new load of books. By the time we come home, we're tired -- of being inside, of walking, and of pulling/pushing heavy loads. Now that the days are longer and warmer, it's hard to pass by Parson's Pleasure without stopping for a nice rest!

We always see many waterfowl when at this park: coots, ducks, geese, swans. This time, though, as the kids ran through the green grass, they spotted a dead goose by the water's edge. They begged me to let them take it home with us, wanting to pluck it and cook it (!). I have to admit that I did consider it (taking it home; not cooking it). I thought we could perhaps disect it for an interesting biology lesson. We all stroked its feathers, and I considered the options (including seeing how much it weighed -- it was heavy!), but in the end I decided to leave it.

As Naomi has spoken of wanting to pluck a bird's feathers for many months now, we attempted to "pluck" a few on her behalf. I didn't realize how difficult it would be, though! I had to yank and twist with all my might to get just one feather, as did Josiah for his. Naomi was so happy that we'd plucked two feathers, she proclaimed it the best day of her life. (Yes I do have a drama queen for a daughter!)

All in all, it indeed was a good day. I was grateful to not carry home a monstrously large bird, but slightly disappointed that we missed out on a chance for dissection!

A Leisurely Saturday Walk Through University Parks and by the Cherwell River

Caught in Bad Weather

When we left for church this morning, it was sunny and slightly warmer than frigid. Boy were we in for a surprise when we returned home a few hours later!

I needed to be at church early so I rode my bike, leaving Steve to walk with the kids (2 on scooters, 1 in the stroller). I figured I would get hot and sweaty by cycling so I left the house wearing a short-sleeved shirt. Steve usually wears a coat everywhere, but today decided to only wear a sweater. Ethan wore a coat, Josiah had on a long-sleeved shirt, and Naomi wore short-sleeves and a light shawl.

On the way to church, I was cold. I’d forgotten how much the wind chills my hands and arms when I’m cycling fast. I wished I’d worn a sweatshirt and gloves. It wasn’t too bad, though, and I did work up a sweat that kept me a bit warmer.

When my family arrived at church later, they seemed in good spirits. I think they’d all been comfortable on the 35 minute walk.

Two hours later, I headed home in a rush to finish cooking for friends coming over for a late lunch. It was sprinkling as I set out, and I almost turned around to warn Steve. I didn’t, though, and just hoped that maybe he’d ask some people for rides so that he and the kids could avoid the rain.

I was already cold from being in a short-sleeved shirt, and then the sprinkles turned to rain. A storm had come just during the window of time in which we were trying to rush home. It was frigid, windy and wet. I’ve rarely been so uncomfortable outside. My hands became numb, my arms were dripping and I could hardly see out of my glasses (in the end I took them off). I knew I’d be home within 15 minutes, though, and kept thinking, “I can handle anything for just 15 minutes.” But I also was dreading what my kids might be facing if they were walking home in the same conditions.

Sure enough, Steve walked home with the kids, choosing not to wait for a car ride because he felt pressure to get home quickly to help me prepare and because I’d asked him to pick up ice-cream at the store on the way home. Naomi came in the house, just beside herself, sobbing. She was freezing cold and soaking wet. (The boys were soaked, too, but are less fazed by things like cold.) I just held her and sympathized with her, feeling terrible that she’d walked for 30 minutes in a storm with no jacket or umbrella!!

Steve was at the end of his rope, having listened to Naomi cry the whole way home, and of course being cold and wet himself. He swore he’d never walk out of the house again without a raincoat or umbrella.

We got everyone out of wet clothes, put Ethan in a warm bath, made hot water bottles and hot chocolate for Naomi and Josiah, and pretty soon everyone was fine again. Our friends arrived for lunch an hour later, and we had a good time playing Settlers of Catan with them after eating.

Oh yeah, and by the time our friends arrived, it was sunny again.

Rear Garden: Stress Release Valve

It's not warm and it's not sunny today, but my kids are in the rear garden regardless. Thank you, Lord!!! I'm starting to realize a big part of my frustration these past few months was probably due to having my 3 loud, active children crammed into my small house with me. Having some peace and quiet as they play outside is just wonderful!!

Our garden is all gravel, but a horse pasture adjoins it and there is a bit of dirt by the fence. It still amazes me how creative my kids can be with so few material things. Today they're collecting supplies to build a house (gravel, rocks, pieces of wood, "concrete"), and yesterday they were working on creating their own pond. Perhaps they were inspired by the presentation on amphibians we went to last week, in which it was stressed over and over again how important ponds are.

They come back in with filthy clothes, and manage to get dirt all over the floor. But it is so worth it!!! They're happy and I'm happy! You can't beat that!

Puddle Jumping!

It's rained off and on for the past few days, and today the temperature finally rose a bit. I've had to go out by myself to run a couple errands yesterday and today, and each time, Ethan grabbed his shoes and sat by the door, ready to come with me. I hated to tell him that he wasn't coming! So today when I got back from an errand, I decided it was definitely a great day for a leisurely walk -- a puddle walk!

Ah, the joys of childhood.

The kids donned their wellies (rain-boots) and sweaters and we took off around the block. Naomi and Josiah took turns riding our one scooter and Ethan enjoyed every single puddle.

He was doing great at staying dry until we got to a mega-puddle (mini-pond!) near the end. This was so deep that stomping in it got his trousers completely wet above the wellies. Unbeknownst to me, his trousers and socks within the wellies were also soaked. (I only discovered this upon our arrival at home when I removed his boots.) This didn't seem to bother him in the slightest.

Then he tripped and fell face-first into the pond puddle. I thought for sure that was the end of our fun, as he doesn't like to be dirty and now his hands were wet and cold. But he wiped them off, shed a few tears and then wanted to keep splashing! Naomi and Josiah both really liked scootering through the mega-puddle. They tried to get up enough speed that they could coast through the whole thing without putting their foot down in the water.

After a long, relaxed, fun walk we finally made it back home. We'd only gone down our street and the one parallel to ours, but the boys were dirty and wet. I stuck them in the bath tub where they merrily played and continued to splash -- this time on my bathroom floor.

Naomi: Looking for a Park

November '08
It was a sunny day and we were on a hunt to find a new playground. Mom had looked at a map which indicated there would be a playground at Angel and Greyhound Meadow, in the St. Clement’s area of Oxford. That wasn’t too far from home, so we set out on a Friday morning for an exploring adventure.

Even though it was a bit of a walk (25-30 min.) we each found a stick on the way and had fun pretending they were swords or walking sticks. When we got to the busier part of town, Mom had to keep reminding us not to play swords because so many people were walking by us. She also was a little worried we’d fall in front of a car or bus if we weren’t paying attention.

Mom guided us through an alley and a parking lot, over a little bridge, and we saw the meadow, just beyond a copse of trees. Yay! We love running and jumping in woods and grass. I was so excited!

I had not taken too many steps into the grass, however, when I realized this was very WET grass. And a few steps further indicated I was walking in MUD. Mom saw the mucky state of the ground and apologized to me, saying that this meadow must be a floodplain. (I know all about floodplains because we walk through one every time we take the footpath through University Parks into town. And I’ve seen light flooding there!)

My brothers, mom, and I own “wellies” (rain boots) but we hadn’t worn them on this adventure. We thought we’d just be playing in a playground. The rest of my family was wearing sneakers, but unfortunately for me, I was wearing socks and crocs. Yes, well, I can tell you now that mud squishes into crocs VERY quickly. My feet were immediately wet, cold, and dirty. Yuck!

Mom took pity on me during the worst bits and pushed me in the stroller (which Ethan had vacated for the obvious pleasure of squishing through mud!) We eventually made it to the other side and walked along the edge of the meadow, which was slightly less muddy than the middle. I thought our “adventure” was a failure until I saw the river.

Ah, flowing water. There are so many things one can do next to a river. Josiah and I used our sticks to stir muddy water by the banks, pretending we were making chocolate milk. Ethan tried to throw leaves into the water, but mostly the wind would blow them right back onto him! We threw pebbles in, comparing splashes and sounds. We even cheered Mommy on as she lugged a great big huge branch, and flopped it into the water. It didn’t move at first, but we nudged it with our sticks and then watched it slowly go downstream.

Mom told us about currents, wind and gravity. We learned that the water going down the middle of the river moves more quickly than the water on the banks of the river. We could see that clearly, since there were so many fallen leaves on the river’s surface. And remembering the bad effects of pollution, I was determined to get an empty beer can out of the water near the bank. Using two sticks, Mom and I managed to do it!

Now, remember how I said we were looking for a playground? Behind some trees, Mom spied a fence. And since playgrounds here are always fenced in, we happily ran through the trees, sure we’d found what we were looking for. Imagine our disappointment when we got close enough to realize that the playground had long ago been dismantled. All that remained was a fenced-in patch of grass and a lonely bench. Not a play-thing in sight.

Oh well. We had lots of fun by the water, and despite my wet feet, I knew the adventure had been worth it. In addition to the fun, I learned two important things: 1) it’s always wise to walk along the edge of a meadow, instead of through the center, and 2) I should always have my wellies with me!

Still No Housing...

We really need prayers that we'll find the right home soon! We viewed a place last week, and view two places tomorrow, but it just feels like nothing is going to work out. We've stayed with our retired friends for a week now and I can only imagine how frustrated they might be from the ruckus that my kids make! I want to relieve them by moving out as soon as possible, but I also don't want to panic and make a silly decision we have to live with for a year. It's difficult to say the least.

Ethan's finally adjusted to the time change, as have the rest of us. My mom also arrived two days ago, visiting us from Nigeria. It's wonderful to talk with her in person, hear her laugh, read stories aloud from Reader's Digest, and watch my kids get to know her again.

We sat on a bench in Christ Church meadows this afternoon, and I watched the golden light of the setting sun cast a glow on buildings and trees alike. I pointed it out to Naomi, remarking that what would normally be a boring brown tree looked made of gold instead. In the middle of a busy small city, the peaceful river walk and the rich green meadow brought me calm and peace. I remembered that God is a God of beauty, a creator God who loves us and wants what's best for us. Oh that I would trust him quietly instead of feeling such anxiety and doubt...

"Cow-Whisperer"

Ethan and I stayed home from church on Sunday since we were both on the rebound of recent illnesses. It was a sunny morning and not too cold. Ethan is passionate about going outside so the two of us took a leisurely walk down our dirt road.

Without Naomi and Josiah there, it was so quiet. We could hear the birds speaking with various songs. We heard the wind blowing gently in the trees. And we approached 10 or so cows without frightening them. I sat down on the grass with Ethan by my side and made some mooing sounds (more like "mmmm"). Ethan loves cows so I was hoping they wouldn't run away from us.

On the contrary, quite a crowd developed around us (though separated from us by a fence). There were a number of calves and two mama cows that stared and stared at us. I think they were perhaps more intrigued by their view of us than we were of them! Every time I made a cow sound, they pricked their ears and a calf would take a step closer.

For at least 10 minutes, I felt like I was a "cow-whisperer." I had no idea what I was saying to them, but it must not have been offensive. It was a delightfully peaceful, quiet time of mutual gazing and admiring. We watched one calf nurse and I laughed to myself as another calf tried to poke his head through the fence to get closer to us. If I'd stood up to pet him, I'm sure he would have run away.

Eclipse Memories

On February 20, there was a full lunar eclipse, and thankfully my brother called me to let me know! I would have missed it otherwise. It was a fairly clear night, cold but bearable. Naomi was awake in bed so I asked if she wanted to watch the moon with me. We put coats and hats on, made hot chocolate, and wrapped up in a blanket on our porch. I found our binoculars, too, so we could get a closer view of the moon’s surface.

Naomi was tickled to be up late with me and she called it “girl-time” since Steve and Josiah didn’t want to watch with us (at least, not for more than a couple minutes – it was cold and Josiah had been fast asleep in bed). I not only enjoyed the beauty of the night sky and the eclipse, but relished the special role of being Mom. I loved having time with my little girl, when we could cozy up together and share a memorable event. I loved showing her something new and explaining the science of it to her.

We watched until the eclipse was full and then came inside to check on it again from our couch. I suggested we take a nap and then look at it later to see how it had changed. I can’t remember the last time I had lain down with my daughter snuggled on my chest. She started laughing and told me that it was funny to have her head move up and down with each of my breaths. We got the giggles for a few minutes and then settled down and actually both fell asleep.

We never did see more of the eclipse. Steve put her to bed an hour later, at which point I also crawled into my own bed, tired but happy from a special sky-gazing night.

Small Encouragements

Yesterday it warmed up to 45 degrees, so my kids decided to have a "picnic" outside on the "big hill" in our yard. They gathered together their favorite stuffed animals, a doll stroller, a blanket, plates, cups, and then asked me for food. I gave them oyster crackers and one cookie each.

They asked if they could eat their entire lunch outside at their picnic, so I said "Sure!" I made peanut butter and graham cracker "sandwiches," washed some apples and peeled one for Ethan. We loved being outside!

Ethan had a hard time sitting and walking on the hill. He kept tipping over! But I stuck by him and helped him walk on the slant. He loved seeing our cows and tasting dirt and grass again.

The older kids climbed fences, ran around, and collected dried up seed pods. I was grateful they could use their energy and noise outside instead of driving me crazy inside!

And I used my free weekend minutes to call some dear friends from Illinois and Scotland. I talked with five wonderful women and felt so refreshed by catching up with them and hearing their voices. Thank you, God, for small encouragements like "warm" weather and friends!

Pumpkin Patch – October 27

I picked pumpkins from a pumpkin farm for the first time today! We’d heard of “Hay’s Maze” from friends of ours and went together as a family this afternoon. It had rained for the past two days, but today was bright, sunny and even warm. We went through the corn maze first and then picked out a bunch of pumpkins in various colors, shapes and sizes.

The kids enjoyed finding the scary figurines in the maze (we made it like a treasure hunt instead of something frightening). They liked seeing corn still on the stalk and learning how it grows. I enjoyed seeing the different kinds of pumpkins and learning their names (“fairy tale pumpkin,” “Cinderella pumpkin,” “Turkish hat pumpkin”). Josiah liked getting dirty in the mud, while Naomi complained since she was wearing white sandals. Ethan liked being part of the group.

It was a really fun thing to do together. Now we just need to find time to carve the big ones and cook the small ones!

Fun Camping!!

We had our first family camping trip on Friday night. Yay! The kids have been wanting to camp for months. We’ve “camped” inside, on the porch, in the yard, in Aunt Beth’s yard, but now we’ve actually spent a night in a nearby campground and hiked and eaten by a campfire!

On Friday, October 12, we drove 30 minutes away to Lake Robertson, just south of Lexington, VA. We got there just in time to get our two tents set up as the last daylight faded. Naomi and Josiah had their own child-sized tent, and Steve, Ethan (in his pak’n’play), and I were in a small dome tent. The kids were thrilled to be outside, looking for sticks, using flashlights, and eating rocks (Ethan!).

Our Indian summer had just ended a day or two before, so we were a little surprised by the cold. But we got a good fire going, roasted hot dogs and marshmallows, and made yummy s’mores. Naomi and Josiah were excited about every aspect – the “real fire,” the sparks, putting hot dogs on a stick. I loved their child-like enthusiasm.

Unfortunately Steve burned his lip and chin on some boiling water, and that made his evening a disappointment. Ice and medicine helped it feel better by the time we went to bed. The kids took a long time to fall asleep because they heard so many noises, but except for Ethan’s coughing, they slept pretty well.

The next morning dawned dark, early and cold, with Ethan’s waking up at 6:00 and Josiah shouting “potty!” soon after. With another campfire we warmed up and were ready to enjoy a lovely autumn day outside!

We decided to hike around the lake, which we think was 1.6 miles, but took us a few hours! The kids watched a few people fishing, and got to see their worms up close. The children’s highlight, though, was holding their own cat-tails for the first time. We enjoyed the sunshine, the changing colors, the shaded path, seeing little holes and wondering what animal lived in them, finding good walking sticks, singing and talking while we walked.

After lunch back at our campsite, Naomi and Josiah played on a playground, Ethan rolled a ball around, I read, and Steve rested on the grass. Naomi was mad to find out that we weren’t spending another night there, but were going home. It had definitely been a nice break from our normal routine, and I especially appreciated being outside, smelling the pines and campfire smoke. At dinner on Saturday (back at home), Naomi turned to me and said, “Thank you, Mom, for taking us camping!” Music to a mother’s ears…

Gorgeous Perseids! Aug. 12, 2007

If you’ve never star-gazed during the annual meteor shower in August, you should give it a try! Steve and I put a blanket on our lawn tonight and within 10 minutes, saw 5 meteors! I was so thankful I live in a dark place. I remember that as a kid, my dad would drive us quite a ways out of Los Angeles to get us into the mountains where the light pollution wasn’t so bad. All I had to do was step out my front door and lie on the grass! The sky was beautiful. We stayed out for half an hour and enjoyed talking quietly and seeing God’s creation. Two meteors in particular were gorgeous, with long tails and very bright. Happy gazing!

Gardening Update

I have good news and bad news. Most of my plants are doing great. Both avocado trees are two feet high and doing well. My tomato plant has 17 baby tomatoes on it. The citrus are still small, but look healthy.

The bad news is my sweet potato vine. It was doing awesome up until a few weeks ago. I never even got a picture of it in its prime. Long branches and lots of leaves were reaching out at least a foot beyond the pot, and I had to move it away from my kitchen sink because it was getting in the way.

Then it started to have lots of holes on some of the leaves, and as this increased, I looked more carefully and saw a teensy caterpillar (?). Now, it’s lost almost all of its leaves due to the pest, and I’m not sure it’s going to survive. I moved it outside hoping that maybe spiders would help with bug control. I’ve sprayed some home remedies on it, but I’m not even sure what I’m fighting.

It makes me extra sad because it had been my most beautiful plant in its prime. I had really enjoyed its fullness and rapid growth. Should I start another one or will the same pest just wreak havoc again? Should I bring it back inside or leave it out? I welcome any suggestions from anyone out there with a green thumb!

A Snake Visits Us

Last Friday I went on our front porch with the kids to water our many plants. Just as I leaned over a potted flower to reach my basil plants, I noticed a green head suspended in the air just below me. I thought at first that it must be one of the kids’ rubber snakes. But my kids don’t have a green rubber snake. Theirs are pink and purple. No, this was a real snake, right on our own front porch!

I drew the kids’ attention to it and we spent many minutes gazing in fascination at this thin green snake in our flower pot. His body was wrapped around the large flower and about 7 inches of him was raised above the flower. He was very still. We kept waiting for him to move, but he didn’t want to, maybe because he sensed we were near. I let Naomi prod the neighboring flower stalk with a little stick, just to shake the plant enough to inspire the snake to move.

It worked! We saw him curl his upper body into more of an “S” shape and then he stuck his head through our little jungle gym door, as if he were playing peekaboo with us. The kids were tickled!

Throughout the morning we kept going back inside to read books and then we’d check the porch again. The snake was probably there for a couple hours. Finally we saw him crossing the porch on his belly, and making his way for a low-branched tree that touches our fence. I looked it up in our nature guide book and it appeared to be a harmless ‘green snake.’ We saw it once more a little while later, up in the tree, very camouflaged. That was the last we saw of it, though every time I’m outside now I glance up in the tree, hoping I’ll spot him again.

It was quite the excitement at our house. We called Papa on the phone and told him all about it. We took pictures and at a family dinner that night, told everyone else of our green visitor. It was the first I’d ever seen a snake in the wild; yes, even after having lived in Africa for 3 years!