CFS 2009

So it has been has been almost a full 15 years since I spent a week at Camp Forest Springs for family camp. See Eric isn't a big fan of camping so it took a while to get him to agree - but we went last week with the kids, Joy/Kory/Jada/Elijah/Mom & Dad and had the bonus of another family we used to go with and all their kids and spouses. It was a blast. The kids spent alot of time everyday at the Mini Farm - as you'll see from the pictures below even Eric enjoyed it. One of my personal favorite places is the air rifle range - so we taught the kids how to shoot bb guns at targets while I worked on starting over my ranking with my left hand. Became an Expert rank with my right in 1992 they said........wow that was a long time ago.
Eric's favorite was the high ropes course. And yes, it was very very high. He and Kory did it once together and then Eric/Kory/Joy/Dad and myself did it the day before we left. Needless to say - 55 feet in the air - walking on a wire - holding onto 4 other poeple to get across without losing your balance I'm sure was quite amuzing to watch from below. The end was a jump off the last platform to hit a teather ball and then be lowered down. I can say I honestly didn't want to do it - but Joy went first so I couldn't look like a whimp :) We also did a mini-triathalon our last day. Eric did a 1 mile run.....very fast I might add....and then puked his guts out..... Dad and Kory rowed a canoe around a course and then I did a swim. We came in 2nd, 13 seconds behind the winner of the first heat. It was fun - but like 60 degrees and I was freezin!
Anyone who has kids of any age should consider joining us next year - that place holds amazing memories for me as a child and they have added so many more amazing things since I have been gone. The spiritual aspect is really one of the major reasons I wanted to go - not many vacations where you get to enjoy worship and God's Word everyday and have someone take your children and do the same.
Anyway, below are some photos from our trip - and when I get the high ropes ones from Joy I'll post them too!

It has been a hard month for me.....Andrew has regressed, something I was prepared to happen the few months after school began. Not now. Its not been physical this time, yet, just lack of sleep, verbal lashing out and constant stimming. I recieved the item below via email today. Since it's that time of the month probably not something I should have decided to read, but its these times when things are hard that I am both reminded of this lifelong fight we have and how how much harder it could be. I encourage you to read every word... and then to pray for the sentences that touch your heart and for the families that are struggling with this disorder.

I wasn't able to get this to come up as large as I'd like, so here is the link if you can't read it.
http://campaign.constantcontact.com/render?v=001r74t9Hd65LoWPCDKh_r_mZCOfUw-lykB0EGRGzsZIKJ9GhJBqXVOjxKrbJw67PKxWUs8fWvDMaKpHkN_NgWa4ip18uentGIOsv6NiGztDwPiAqS87aV3Og%3D%3D

Andrews Haircut

Now there was nothing special about this haircut - nothing different than any other time. He gives me 10 minutes on the kitchen microwave to complete said haircut and then I commence the cutting.

Half way thru buzzing the back he reaches up and touches his head....."Mom, I'm almost out of hair!" He says. He's never really cared what I did to his head, he just wants it done in the 10 minute time limit so it was hilarious that he thought i was cutting off all his hair.