Mt. Hermon 2009

Just this morning I sat in our little cabin the woods cradling and praying with my sobbing 4-year old. We all just completed what, after 2 years of attending now, I am going to call our "Best Week of the Year" at Mt. Hermon and Ella did not want to leave. "Why can't we live at Mt. Hermon?" she stuttered.

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The week was so full of amazing highs I am overwhelmed at the task of recording it on the blog for our memories. The best way I could think to describe it is like a wonderful buffet of delicious foods. We packed as much onto our plates as was possible for where we are in this stage of life and had the time of our lives feasting. I long to describe each little entree we sampled, and even the ones we just couldn't, but that post would go on virtually forever.

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So instead, here is just a quick peek at some of the dishes we sampled in the 7 days we lived in the redwood forest of Mt. Hermon with our most beloved church family members. What we indulged in left us feeling warm and full.

.Here's our little cabin. It holds fantastic memories for us this year since we did excellent with sleeping and napping in it. It's built over the creek with a sweet back porch, so I sat out there and ate up a whole book while the girls napped.

Last year we started going to Mt. Hermon to escape a week without Dave, since he's up the hill counseling for HiCamp. We quickly learned this Christian Family Camp is so much more than just distraction, though. It turns out a built-in bonus is that we DO get to spend time with Dave. We went to visit HiCamp one day. He came down to visit us another and we met up with him and his high school group at the Santa Cruz beach a third day.

One joy this summer was witnessing the maturity just one year brought. I had so much fun with my girls! We'd end each night cuddling, singing, reading and praying in our big bed. The girls played together great and I so enjoyed watching them interacting with each other and their friends. Here they study one of Mt. Hermon's infamous Banana Slugs.

This S'mores night may have been Delia's favorite of the whole week. Besides her first experience with this classic camp treat, she also love, love, LOVED the "Meadow Dancing" (line and square dancing) that went on in the field until dark.

On the day Dave visited, we spent the afternoon partaking of some family activities. First we took a row boat out on the river, then we went to the craft room. Both were hits (as was a little more quality time with Daddy)!



Yesterday we "creeched." This is a Mt. Hermon term for play on the sandy beach by the shallow and bubbling creek. In future years the girls can climb the waterfall and travel along the rocky shores some more. Just wading, splashing and tossing rocks was great fun for this year. And last night's final program for all the kid campers was just as adorable and high-energy as ever.
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My greatest pleasure this year was simply experiencing love. God's love was constantly evident in the glorious creation around us and the songs my girls came out of Day Camp singing each night. His love was woven into our morning and evening messages and worship. Mostly, His love was poured out on us by the church family we attend this week with. With long hugs from my sisters and arms linked for warmth, we shared a time of worship and communion in the outdoor sanctuary, Victory Circle. This service was a highlight of the week for me.