This weekend

This weekend Kathleen and I went to visit my Aunt Mo, cousin Anne, and her husband Trent + daughter Samantha. We had a wonderful dinner at Aunt Mo's new house in Charlotte and were so happy to catch up plus have the girls meet for the first time. Sammy is only 2 months younger than Kathleen.  

After a spend the night at Mamaw and Pop Pop's it was Saturday morning play time with Pop Pop followed by lunch and carousel/train rides with Aunt B. 

Kathleen slept the whole two hour + car ride home and we were greeted by a wonderful indoor campsite Daddy surprised us with. 

I can't think of a better way to spend time with my little girl than enjoying time with family we love.

Climbing up and down the stairs

Sammy was so sweet and fun to play with. Kathleen asked for her for days after our visit.

A vist to the NC Zoo with The Millers

This past Saturday we had the wonderful experience of meeting up with our friends "The Millers" at the NC Zoo in Asheboro. It was a 2 hour drive for us to both meet in the middle. We drove from Henderson and they came from Vale, NC. The Millers became some of our dearest friends while Calvin was in divinity school and we had not seen them since graduation last May. After a year of ministry in rural churches we had much to catch up on. Katie and I caught up on every mommy topic we could think of from potty training to discipline, the expected and unexpected ventures of becoming an official pastor's wife, plans of potential future kids or lack there of, and recommended blogs and books since we both love learning from other women smarter than us. Katie and I originally bonded over shared pregnancies since her youngest, Isaac, is just 3 months older than Kathleen.

Kevin and Calvin mostly discussed church topics and were surprised and how similar their experiences had been this year. The kids played and enjoyed each others company the entire day. Kathleen did the best she could to climb like Malachi, she followed Eliana wherever she went and asked her to hold her hand on the tram ride back to our picnic lunch. And Kathleen was happy to hug Isaac goodbye after a delicious mexican dinner together.

There are very few friends in this world that you can pick up right where you left off with even after a year has passed. I am so thankful for our time together at the zoo. Families such as the Millers are truly a gift from God to all those they come in contact with.

Camping for July 4th

For a little getaway in the middle of a very busy June/July schedule for Calvin - I decided to book a three day, three night camping trip for our family over the July 4th holiday. This was part of a week long vacation for me and it seemed like the only time we would get to go camping this year if we wanted to take Kathleen for her first trip in the great outdoors. 

The camp site was located on a smaller part of the lake set apart by a bridge that kept the water calm and the scenery peaceful compared to the larger part of Kerr Lake. We set up camp between rain showers on Wednesday night and put the boat in the water. Our site allowed us to tie the boat up right outside the tent so we could come a go as we pleased. We had the area all to ourselves except for the second night when a nice family of three with an 9 month old camped at the site next door for the evening out with their little one. Being on the smaller part of the lake didn't seem as exciting at first, but it proved to be a good thing when boating and swimming with our two year old. In the end, we were thankful for the "privacy" away from the crowds. 

Kathleen slept very well in the tent at night. On Thursday morning she woke up announcing, "My boat, My boat, I can see my boat out the window!" Most of our three days at the lake was filled with boat riding and swimming in the lake. Kathleen enjoyed jumping off the boat into the water, and she and Daddy even swam to a "far away island" to find buried treasure on one afternoon adventure. 

I did all of the food packing, but Calvin cooked all of the meals while we were there. Grits, eggs and pre-made biscuits for breakfast, gnocchi for one meal, mexican for another, pasta with tomato sauce and green beans, veggie burgers, corn on the cob and hummus round out the menu for the 9 meals packed for the trip. 

No proper camping site would be complete without a campfire and roasted marshmallows at night. Kathleen only wanted one surprisingly enough. (Mommy had several) And to entertain by the campfire, Daddy told Kathleen camping stories of when he was a boy with his family. Kathleen then decided to tell Daddy a few of her own stories...and all of them ended with "and then I ran away" for some reason! 

It wasn't perfect timing for our family to go camping with all that was packed onto the calendar, but I am so thankful for the time away, the beauty of nature that surrounded us, and the refocusing on spending time just the 4 us of (counting Rascal too). 

Sleeping Quarters

A current Favorite - corn on the cob

Rascal likes to swim too

Daddy teaching Kathleen to throw rocks into the lake overhanded. 

Splash!

A little happy dance.

U pick

This morning Kathleen and I went to Vollmer Farms for pick your own Strawberries and Blueberries. Swings, a tractor moo cow train ride, and picnic completed the incredibly relaxing outdoor morning.

Communion

As a preacher's daughter at a two point charge, Kathleen typically attends two church services on Sunday. One at 9:30 a.m. and then another at 11 a.m. Each church family is so thrilled to see her walk in the door. She is absolutely loved on from start to finish and tired at the end! Both of the churches also serve communion on the first and third Sundays so Kathleen is learning the routine of what it means to come to the table. This past month we've had a couple very meaningful moments in worship with our daughter and communion so I would like to share them now.

About a month ago at Spring Valley UMC Kathleen was brought from the nursery as usual to join us for communion. When Calvin broke the bread and gave it to her he said "This is the body of Christ, given for you." Then Kathleen lifted it up and responded "Thank you God." Calvin and I both heard it clearly but in an effort to keep from crying we did not look at each other. We both just held our breath and the moment in our hearts. I then took the bread from her, dipped it in the cup and she ate it. Then I took communion as well. And I believe on the way back to our seat in the pew Kathleen said, "Yummy bread."

Then last week as we took communion at Gillburg UMC we stood in line to wait our turn. I picked Kathleen up so that she could be served and after being handed the bread from Calvin, she replied  "Thank you" in response. As we walked across the front of the church to sit back down Kathleen pointed to the altar rail and said, "I want to pray a minute." I looked at her with a questioning face and she pointed again to the rail and said, "I want to pray a minute." So I took her to kneel at the altar rail. She put her knees on the bench and placed her hands in front of her with her head bowed. I prayed and she repeated after me, "Thank you God. (pause for Kathleen to repeat) Please forgive me. (pause) I love you. (pause) Amen." She prayed every word clearly and confidently. Then we went back to our seat. I was in tears.

As our dear friend Jessica put it, it is such a joy to see our little girl growing and learning what it means to love the Lord. My prayer for Kathleen since she was an infant is that the Lord would use her life for a purpose greater than herself and I know He is already doing just that even at this young age. These beautiful moments from the innocent heart of a child show me once again why scripture instructs us to be more like them.