It’s always hard to pack up and leave for a vacation, there are so many details to remember and things to do, but it’s almost equally as difficult returning home.

Joshua, Stuart, Tim, Bethany and cousin, Timothy, set off the first morning of camp.

• The children are grumpy as they come down off their camp/friends/sleepovers adrenaline rush.
• The parents are tired and worn out from all the busy activities of the vacation.
• There are suitcases to pack, but they’re usually filled with dirty clothes, well worn and dirtied.
• All the cleaning and tidying up means saying goodbye. There is none of the excitement of heading off on a fun adventure.

This was Sarah’s first year as a camper. Such excitement!

All of that said, there’s something deliciously sweet about coming home, the familiar comforts (like high speed internet and a comfy computer chair) awaiting you. The answering machine has friendly messages (like requests for Sunday nursery duty) on it. The mailbox is full of credit card ads and grocery fliers.

Gilligan’s Island was one of the themes this year. Don’t they make a believable bunch castaways.

And, depending on the work you did before you left, your bedroom is either a complete mess or a welcoming haven.

Thankfully we have a big family, full of capable workers. Joshua brought three friends from our homeschool co-op with him to camp this year. They served as CIT’s with him (Counselors In Training). With our five, plus the extra three around, we had 8 children available to clean, tidy and vacuum. Many hands make light work indeed.

Several of the counselors play instruments. They had their own band this year and played several times for us.

Now feeding them all (three of whom are boys) is another story. That takes work!

We had a fabulous time and, after cleaning up the house, managed to get on home. Tim kept the boys and did the final work. It was an exhausting, satisfying, and thoroughly delightful week.

Kathy

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