What I'm Up To

Our friends got in safely tonight and we are having fun catching up with them. My kids were SO EXCITED to meet their little kids and they seem to be getting along really well. My friend Amy brought her nifty pop-up camper over to our driveway so we could have more space for Jared and Cheri to stay. There is room in there for 8 people, and we set up a little portable crib for their one year old and sleeping bags for the others. Ali and Jer helped me dust and clean a bit in the camper and it was so cute because Ali brought out a huge wad of kleenex and said, "This is for if the girls get a snotty nose." (I thanked her and discreetly put a kleenex box there instead of the wad!) We tried to make things clean and neat with fresh towels and water bottles and for a fun surprise we bought all of the kids a fun little $1 water bottle (3 Pink Princess ones for the girls and a racecar one for Jer of course!) Cameron and Justus are both so laid back and easy-going, they are just there, watching all the excitement of the siblings all around them. The guys took off after supper for a night hike to the falls while we Mamas put the little ones to bed.

Tomorrow we will probably be going on the River Walk near our home with all of the kids and either for a hike in the mountains and picnic lunch or a picnic in one of the beautiful parks in our town. And then, Cheri and I get to hike to the falls tomorrow while the Dads get bedtime duty! Yay for a break and a chance to hike without feeling like a pack mule! On Wednesday, we may take turns watching one another's kids so we can have some dates out without the kids (a rare treat!)

One great thing about missionary families is their ability to be versatile. I so appreciate the flexible way that most missionary families deal with the continual travel and different schedule issues and the very simple life they lead and the faith they have to trust God for provisions and help. I've always liked MKs (missionary kids) and have a close friend who is one, a wonderful sister-in-law who is one, a nice brother-in-law who is one, future nieces and nephews who will be MKs, and other great friends who are too. I can already see that flexibility and friendliness in my friends' very small children, which is cool.