Say What?!

There are a couple of  phrases we have learned here that I have never heard before. As winter approaches in Alaska, these two terms are in more and more frequent use. The first one is "sucker hole".
It rains a lot here in the fall. Weeks can go by without a single hour of sunshine. A sucker hole is a patch of beautiful, clear blue sky right in the middle of all these clouds. Your heart leaps for joy! It's going to clear up! And then.....it's gone, and you can almost hear it saying, "Sucker!!"
The second one is "termination dust". This one seems to be exclusively Alaskan. Termination dust is when the first hint of snow arrives on the surrounding mountain peaks. It signals that summer is "terminated" and winter is on its way. To me, the phrase sounds so final. It makes me think of a permanent ending, rather than a temporary parting. Although I don't know what I would use instead. Termination dust DOES have a bit of romantic flair to it...and after seven or eight months of winter, it probably feels like spring IS never coming back!
If you are interested in other Alaskan slang, here's a website for you! A little heads up though, there is one word listed that some parents might find questionable, so please view with discretion.
http://www.decorphoto.com/ak-slang.htm

The Last Day of Camp

Friday was the long-anticipated last day of camp. The hard-working kitchen staff created a delicious feast last night, as a "thank you" for all of the counselor's hard work. It included steak, halibut, twice-baked potatoes, warm rolls and much more. Afterwards, a large group went down to the beach for a game or two of sand volleyball and some fireside fellowship. It has been a sweet time for them of relaxation (finally!)  and friendship. Josh's last sermon to the counselors is about coming down from the mountain after experiencing the Transfiguration. This has been a mountain-top experience for many of them. It's so tempting to want to stay and not go back down to "the real world". Josh will be sharing with them why going down is important and what they can expect. It's a hard transition sometimes.

The twins are going to have their OWN transition time. They have been shown so much affection and attention by the counselors this summer that when they all leave tomorrow, I think the boys might just go through some kind of withdrawal! And although I have had a few rough days this summer, the next couple will likely be the hardest emotionally. Thankfully, my sister is coming to visit just in time.
God is awesome like that, because she didn't know that the counselors were leaving until after she had picked out her arrival date. Please pray for safety and smoothness in travel for her.

In other news, the boys have discovered horse poo. We took them to the park yesterday, since it was very nice and sunny out, and they played for a long time. Xander likes to pick stuff up and carry it around (I have a feeling that I will be finding rocks and other "treasures" in his pockets as he gets older) At one point he had two small sticks and a couple of pine cones. If the next item he finds is interesting enough, he will drop what he has and pick it up instead. I saw him pick something up, and from where I was, it looked like another pine cone, but I figured that I better investigate just in case.
When I got there, I could see it wasn't a pine cone, it looked like a clod of dirt. Except dirt doesn't clod here. It's too sandy. And he had pulled it apart so he had some in each hand. I called Josh over to help me get it out of his little talons. It must have felt kind of interesting  because he did NOT want to release it. Thankfully, it was older horse poo, not fresh, especially since after we got the "dirt" out of his hands and headed home to clean up, Xander did what he usually does. He stuck his thumb in his mouth. Ugh. Well, what doesn't kill us makes us stronger, right? Also, as we were pushing the stroller home a few days ago, Josiah decided that he needed to sample some of the local greenery. Unbeknownest to us, he grabbed a leaf off a wild rosebush (I think) as we passed by, and stuck it in his mouth. By the time we got home (probably a minute or so) he had decided he didn't like the taste but couldn't get it out of his mouth. So he started screaming. Which was when I saw the leaf on his tongue. I managed to fish it out and then gave him lots of water to rinse out the taste and also to wash out anything I might have missed. I was a bit worried at the time, not knowing if there were any poisonous plants here (I know what they are now) but he seems to have suffered no ill effects... Ahhhhh, adventures....

Finishing Well

This is the last week of camp. For most of the counselors, it got here far too quickly. In a little over a week, most of the counselors will be heading home, with memories of Echo Ranch forever in their hearts. It's also come too quickly for us. Although we will be here until mid-September , a part of us will go with all the counselors. We have enjoyed their company , their energy, their enthusiasm and their sweet spirits. The boys will also miss them, especially their "buddies".  I know they will look for them for days after they have gone...
In the weeks to follow, there is a jam-packed schedule of retreats here which will tax the staff tremendously. Tired as many are, this is when patience may run thin and tempers may run hot. It's not an easy time, the staff is cut in half but the duties do not decrease. This is a time to guard our unity, to protect our fellowship, to be patient and kind with one another and to bear one anothers burdens.
We have been encouraging the counselors to finish well, but we need to do the same! We need to run the race marked out for us with perseverance. We need to fix our eyes on Jesus, for He is the author and perfecter of our faith. He marked out this race, for us, just as He marked out YOUR race for you. And He will help both of us to rejoice in the path that He has chosen as we seek His provision and grace. May we not forget that the joy of the Lord IS our strength. What a gift He has given us, to be able to serve Him!