Pine Cove Family Camp 2009

Yesterday we got back from Pine Cove Family Camp Retreat. Wow! We are exhausted...but we had a blast!
We got there on Friday night about 5:30pm and left yesterday (Monday) at about noon.
On Friday night, after dinner we enjoyed family sing a long with the boys followed by game night and dessert. On Saturday morning, we woke up early (7:30am...yikes) to have breakfast. Then, we had family devotionals. After family Devos, the kids went with their counselors and we headed to listen to Gary DeSalvo speak. The boys had a blast riding horses and swimming/jumping on the giant blob! We all met up for lunch and you'd think we just chilled the rest of the day, right? Um...no! We were busy bees! Hiking, doing archery, bb guns, zip lines, and swimming in the pool (which had a giant slide...which I also rode on). We had dinner that night and then had fun games that night with Medieval Madness! 10:30pm was the bed time! The next day...same schedule. Busy weekend for sure!
It was our first time at Family Camp. The common question was, "How'd you hear about family camp?" We had friends that had told us about it. Our friend, Stephanie Weber, had asked us to go with them several times for the Palm Sunday weekend. Unfortunately, she passed away before we were able to join her. However, while I was there I would imagine what she was like at that camp. I imagined her cheering her kids on as they tried new things like the slides, ropes courses, etc. I imagined her meeting new people, getting close up to them, and asking them a million questions...all to get to know them. I imagined her loving the beauty of God's creations and thanking Him endlessly. I imagined her soaking in God's word as she listened to the Guest Speaker for that weekend. I imagined her enjoying the food. (I wonder if they had chips and queso? That was one of her favorite foods.) I imagined her taking one of her last family photos there. I imagined her making memories that her children will always remember.
I was grateful for her life all over again this weekend. She had shared with me the joy of family camp which enabled my family to share the same experience. What a blessing her life was...and continues to be! It definitely reminded me to live life to the fullest! :)