We're Home Again (part 1)

This summer is already half over and it feels rather like a whirlwind...

...a beautiful, exhilarating, FUN whirlwind, but "hectic" nonetheless...

Once upon a time, when I was young, I went to camp...

not just any ole camp...

You see, camp, in and of itself is FUN...it's time away from home, with games & activities and eating lots of sugar...I get it...any kid would love a week at camp...

however, this camp is different...


We have chosen, as a family, that this camp experience, because it differs so greatly from others, to sacrifice the investment it requires...

Each time I attended Lake Ann Camp as a tween & teenager, it became a defining moment in my life...so much so, that I decided to counsel there once I finished the ministry teams on which I traveled during my college years.  As a counselor I recognized why, as a camper, my time at LAC was so poignant...

You are trained that each and every moment has a purpose, a meaning, and an opportunity...from cabin clean up to water front activities...you are reminded that life is about choices, even down to the most minuscule tasks...because of this attention to the heart of the matter...because of commitment to the spirit of the campers...each week is intense, significant and is meant to be relevant for when you "come back to the real world"...

When we drop our older girls off at camp, I have that same overwhelming feeling of gratitude that I do when we walk down main street at Disneyworld...I know it sounds ridiculous and yet, these are the types of investments that I know are making an impact on the hearts of my girls...moments that they will one day look back upon and recognize a heart change, a new perspective, one more step in the direction of who they were created to be...and that type of investment is PRICELESS to me!

And so, that began our week of July 4th this year...


And as we were driving up to the northern part of Michigan to drop off the girls, I was reminded that 21 years ago to the week, my sister, Sarah, attended the same program in which my eldest was participating.  It's called Fresh Start and it's geared specifically for freshman entering high school.  It's physically intense, emotionally challenging and mentally engaging...

I'm in awe that my sister even went to camp, let alone participated in this program...

It was her last "out of hospital" week on earth. We didn't realize at the time, just how poorly her heart was weakening, at such a fast pace...she returned from camp that year and within a day or so, was rushed to the hospital.

It was a bittersweet & sometimes heartwrenching week for me remembering, and knowing that my daughter was at the same age, experiencing the life lessons that Sarah experienced...

Camp Week is something we all look forward to all year long...

this year was no different...

It starts with packing the van and heading up to a resort that my hubby and our best friends found near Traverse City.  It hosts indoor and outdoor swimming pools, golf course and ranges 15 minutes to only an  hour away from just about anything we'd want to site-see while there.

This year, because we were there on the 4th, there was an amazing Fireworks display on the ski slope...It was a memorable way to start the week before we dropped them off at camp in the morning...




Come back tomorrow to see all the adventures we experienced once the girls were safely at their cabins...

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