Family Retreat

Last weekend was our churches family fall retreat (it only occurs every other year). We drove up on Friday afternoon and were able to get settled, have dinner and then rejoin our church body for a wonderful weekend of fellowship and worship. Chris took the kids canoeing, we roasted s'mores at a big bonfire, I got to catch up with my friends, we got to eat decent food with friends, sipped coffee and sat around watching the kids in our church playing soccer/frisbee etc on the grassy areas.

Horrible, horrible, horrible that these are the only pictures I took! The bonfire started at 9...so they were all quite tired (ie, not in the mood for a picture!).





So thankful my friend Andria was able to snap this picture of Anna-Kate! During the final service on Sunday the children came in to tell us about what they had learned. They sang some songs, repeated some catechisms and shared some Scriptures they had memorized. My battery has been dead, but I am going to video Anna-Kate reciting her verses! So very sweet to hear little children speak the words of the Lord!



For the sake of truth in documentation, I should add that Friday night was horrible. I mean, in the top 3 worst nights of sleep I've ever had in my life. We were all 5 in one room. (I was reminded of why we don't have kids in our room this weekend!). Jack woke up a few times during the night and would just babble to himself (not cry). Ryan is a pretty light sleeper, so that woke him up and he thought it would be fun to share the party with Anna-Kate, so he woke her up. Splendid. When Jack fell back asleep, however, my big kids were mid-conversation loving the midnight chat-fest. I went to sleep at 11:15 and then saw 12:30, 2, 4, 5 and 5:40. Brutal (as was the lack of coke products. Who in the south serves Pepsi? Seriously?).

Anyway, we loved the time we had, were reminded both of God's faithfulness to us and of how blessed we are to have such a strong and sweet church family and are excited for the retreat in 2012! :)