Kanakuk Update

We picked Clark up from Kanakuk on Saturday. I was SO HAPPY to see that boy! A week is a long time. We had debated on bringing Joshua with us. He does travel well...but the roads to Kamp are pretty curvy and he does NOT do curvy well. Anyway, Holly was at her home in Fay and I didn't want to ask her to come down again and keep him (she had just been here the week before). I thought about taking him to stay with his grandparents for the day...but Clark was only gonna have about 24 hours at home, and I knew Joshua would want to see him. Plus, I didn't want to spend one minute of those 24 hours traveling down to get him. And Logan had plans so he couldn't keep him. So, we brought Joshua with us.

We had to get up a little after 3 on Saturday morning...opening ceremonies start at 7:30 a.m. Most NORMAL people will go up the night before and spend the night. Not the Garland's. No, ma'am. Not spending $89 on a motel room for 8 hours of sleep. Oh, no!  Thankfully, Joshua is a real trooper. It helps that he's a morning person! We decided to stop for breakfast on the road.

NOTE TO SELF: NOTHING IS OPEN AT 4 a.m.!

We finally found a McDonald's that was open around 5:30, and went thru the drive-thru. I decided to give Joshua a Dramamine. Or, as a younger Joshua called it, "drama-queen." I knew the curviest roads were ahead and so I didn't want him to feel bad. I even let him move up to the front seat for the rest of the trip.

WELL.

Talk-talk-talk-talk-talk-talk-talk-talk-talk...(repeat)

Jim said, "NOTE TO SELF: drama queen doesn't work for everyone."

I get out the box and start reading the label. I tell Jim...it says "take 1-2 every 4 hours." (of course, it also said, "MAY CAUSE MARKED DROWSINESS"...but THAT didn't seem to be true). At lunch, an hour from Kamp, I decide to give him another drama queen. I mean, it had been 2 hours at that point.

WELL.

By the time we get to Kamp, Joshua is a zombie. A ZOM-BIE. Not even kidding. I am holding his hand as we walk, and we are walking SLOWLY. Jim keeps looking back at us. I am keeping pace with Joshua because of the terrain...and because his steps are unsteady. Joshua looks like a drunk.

Clark had a great time during the week. Right before the teepee awards, a Dad came up to me and introduced himself. He said he had "been told by others" that Clark was a special friend and great encourager to his son. He told me that his son has Autism...and how much he appreciated Clark looking out for him and being his friend. When he saw Joshua with us, he said, "well, now it's obvious why Clark has such a compassionate heart." That blessed me so much because when all 3 of the boys are home, it's not exactly a scene from a Norman Rockwell painting. There's yelling and rough-housing and and lots of LOUDNESS and stink. And sometimes, I just don't think they "get" it...how much I want them to all love each other and all of that (or, as Joshua says, "allvadat"). But then...God sends me a little reminder, thru the comments of this Dad...that maybe things ARE getting into those thick heads of theirs. Love me some God.

Clark was also awarded the "I AM THIRD" award during Base Kamp, and I couldn't be more proud of him for that. It was named after a pilot who sacrificed his own life in a plane crash. Instead of bailing out and saving himself...ensuring that the plane would crash in a neighborhood, likely killing many...he chose to crash-land his plane in the only vacant spot around. He did not survive, but there were no other casualties. He valued other lives as more important than his own. "I AM THIRD."

In the end, there are some "surprises" from Joshua that I don't want to even put in the blog. I don't think I'll ever forget. Eeek! But Joshua was SO excited to see Clark and I am glad we brought him...but, next year...might see if there's another option. I wish there was a straight road to get to the kamp.

We ended up meeting the ALL the Sanders' for dinner at US Pizza in NLR on Saturday night. It was so great to see them. I love them all so much.

"Do not let kindness and truth leave you; Bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favor and good repute in the sight of God and man." (Proverbs 3:3-4)