The Great Kid Swap

When I was a kid, for a few weeks every summer, my parents gave myself and my brothers a gift. They sent us away to our Grandma and Grandpa Salazar's house. For a few of those years we lived fairly close - about 30 min from them, and we would meet in Modesto, at the mall in the JCPenny parking lot. The swap would take place, and off we would be for the best weeks of our summer. I LOVED going to my Grandparent's house. We did things that seem normal to most people, but as a kid the sum of all of those little things made going to Grandma's the most treasured time. We would go to the library, swimming, on walks every night, walk to the corner store to get a slushie, playing at the park, and lots of other things. These are some of the best memories of my childhood.

Yesterday, we arrived back home after "swapping" our kids with my mother-in-law. We don't live 30 minutes from them, in fact we live 16 hours from them. So, rather than drive 15 minutes to a JCPenny parking lot, we drove 8 hours to a hotel and spent the night together. Yesterday morning we transferred carseats and luggage, and I said goodbye to my 3 kiddos for 2 weeks of fun, just Nana, Aunt Candice, Aunt Amber and the kids. I would be lying if I didn't say that I was sad, especially to see my 2 year old go without me. When we arrived home, the silence was deafening. This morning when I woke up, I missed JJ's feet in my face, and I jumped to turn off the alarm clock so it wouldn't wake him...but he wasn't there. In short, I already miss them. But all I have to do is think back to those wonderful summers. Orange soda still reminds me of swimming at a public pool because that's what we drank when Grandma took us swimming. The smell and sound of wood being cut on a jigsaw reminds me of my Grandpa because he let us cut out our creations on one. When I see Black Cherry ice cream in the store it reminds me of hot summer nights in Turlock, CA. After I think of those things, I realize that my kids are making their own memories with their Nana. When they are in their 20's and 30's they will sit around and talk about those times just like I do with my brothers. How Josh got his first stitches, how I almost drowned but Grandma saved me, the hours and hours and hours of playing at "bee" park.

It will surely be a long 2 weeks. Then Jason and I get to pack up, and go spend a little over a week with them at Nana's before we come home. I miss the girls talking, I miss JJ's sticky kisses, but I am thankful for the memories being made right now.

What I took away from iCamp

Thursday afternoon ended 4 days at Kid's Camp that I will never forget. Our entire pastoral team went, as well as 8 other amazing adults from Bethel Church, and a handful of teenagers that made a BIG difference. Here are some things that I took away from our week at Sis-Q-Meadows:

• I knew that our Pastoral Staff was awesome; this week watching them serve our kids just confirmed what I already knew. They are indeed, awesome.
• I can not, will not, or do I want to ever do another camp without Susan Greisen. She rocks.
• Our kids came expecting a great week at camp. They left thinking that it was the greatest camp ever. Mission accomplished!
• Our 5 couselors - Bryan, Donavan, Tonia, Crystal & Renee did an awesome job. I hope to have them all back next summer.
• Barry Dale is one great cook! What a servant.
• When I said a few times to our counselors that the greatest things at camp often times happen after the altar call has ended, in the quiet times before bed, they listened.
• You don't have to do much to impress kids: they find the most fun in the simplest things: nature hikes, swimming in the river, and fishing with Pastor Ron and Pastor Lance.
• Kid's Worship is WAY better when Pastor Roger leads. (He is totally a rock star among the youngest of Bethel attendees!)
• Throw a little team competition in, and it changes everything!
• The kids loved activity time with Pastor Troy. We even provided the camp with a permanent game on their chapel floor!
• Teenagers make a big difference. Thanks James, Cyle, Taelor, Alyssa & Gabby. I'm very thankful you all came.
• Sis-Q-Meadows is a great camp. Everyone loved it.
• God moved in big ways, small ways, and weaved Himself between everything that we did. I truly believe that is why our week was so great.

I prayed from the beginning when we put this camp on the calendar that it wouldn't just be another week in the lives of our kids, but that it would be THE BEST week of their summer. I think for many of these kids, it was the best week. I know for a cabin full of boys, God moved upon their hearts late Wednesday night after the other campers had fallen asleep. Those are the kind of moments you cannot not plan, but you pray for because they are what creates true life change in them.

I'm already dreaming, and praying about camp next year. My head is buzzing with the possibilities, the dreams fill my head while I sleep. Thank you to all who took part in making camp a success. It meant the world to me, but even more to the 43 campers that will never be the same.