Camp Barnabas 2015: All The Food

One of the main things Joshua was sure to tell me about Camp this year...was the food. He told me what they had for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Actually, he wrote it all down in his journal, so he wouldn't forget.

One of the biggest things was that they had grilled chicken on the first night, instead of the hamburgers and hot dogs they usually have. He said the chicken was so hard that he couldn't cut it. He asked Daniel-the-counselor to cut it and even HE couldn't cut it.

And in his very next breath, he said, "it was really good."

My other kids swear that Joshua doesn't have any taste buds, because he pretty much likes every kind of food.

That's not entirely true, as evidenced by the fact that he didn't like the "grape juice" that was in the plastic "grape juice" jug that had "grape juice" written on the outside of the jug by the nice people at Welch's...this was the "grape juice" jug that he found in the refrigerator at my mother-in-law's house. When he drank a sip of it, he found out that it was NOT, in fact, "grape juice," but USED FISH OIL (oil that had been used to fry fish). Bless his heart...he couldn't tell the difference by looking. In his defense, he didn't know there would be anything other than grape juice in there, because WHY WOULD THERE BE ANYTHING OTHER THAN GRAPE JUICE IN A GRAPE JUICE JUG?

He was sick for 3 days.

Also, note to self: none of the "butter" dishes in my mother-in-law's frig actually have butter in them. They have left-overs in various stages of decomposition.

GROSS, but they apparently MUST.NEVER.THROW.AWAY.FOOD.

Anyway, Joshua is typically a real ego-booster when it comes to my cooking. Very complimentary.

He also liked telling me about what other people in his cabin had to eat. Like, he said one of his camper friends "drowned" his hot-dog weenie in pepper. Joshua could NOT understand why anyone would do that! Of course, this came from someone who probably "drowned" his hot dog weenie in ketsup!

Joshua loves him some ketsup!

And, he told us that, one night, they had ham and some "funny-looking" potatoes. When I asked him what kind of potatoes they were, he said, "I don't know..some kind of CALIFORNIA potatoes."

Oh, well, okay.

He also said, "I did not get sick...LIKE EVERYONE ELSE." When I questioned him on this, he said, "yeah...everyone in my cabin was getting sick, but I didn't. Yet."

And so we've spent the last seven days waiting for THAT shoe to fall. It's been a week, and, so far, so good.

The other main thing he talked about was his frustration with Matt P. at meal time. Matt P. would jump up and rush the stage as soon as the "pray-er" said, "Amen," and then Matt P. would lead the group in the pledge of allegiance, and end with a rousing version of "How Great Thou Art."

It doesn't sound that bad to me, but Joshua said it was after every meal...3 times a day...the whole week.

And to quote my sensitive and loving Joshua: "I love God and my country...but sometimes I just want to eat."

Camp 2015 Updates here, here, here.

"I will search for faithful people to be my companions." Psalm 101:6

A "Few Days of Fun"

Before we had even gotten home from picking up Joshua from Camp Barnabas last Friday, the programmer at Therapeutic Recreation had emailed all the FRIENDS. Apparently, they decided that it had been way too long since the FRIENDS had gotten together, and they decided to do something about it! They were offering 2 days this week for the FRIENDS to come and hang out at the TR center. The FRIENDS were going to do some cleaning and re-organizing to get things ready for the summer program.

Joshua was a mixture of excited and ALL THE NERVOUS FEELINGS.

Because this latest development? It was not on his 7-year planner.

He is his father's son, after all.

Joshua is a lover of routine...HIS routine. And, after being gone a week to Camp Barnabas...and being on THEIR routine...he was anxious to get back home and get settled.

So he kept going, "mumble-mumble-mumble...I didn't know we were having TR this week...mumble-mumble-mumble."

I said, "JOSHUA, you don't have to go if you don't want to." He said, "IMNOTTALKINGABOUTTHATRIGHTNOW."

Add to the mix: Jenni.

Her mom is out-of-town, and the TR email kind of threw what her family had planned for her this week...out of whack. She wasn't going to be able to go, because she didn't have a ride. If we lived closer, or if she lived on the way, I would totally offer to go pick her up and take her home....but she lives the opposite direction from where we need to be.

In the end, Joshua went and he had a great time. He said, "just because Jenni can't go is no reason why I shouldn't."

Yes, he said that.

I know, right? I was shocked!

The first day was just crazy. Holly and Clark went with us, because they each had appointments. I dropped Holly off first...she was getting her hair done. And then I took Joshua to TR...and then I took Clark to the orthodontist. Clark had broken his retainer a couple OR FOUR years ago. When he was at the dentist last week, he suggested that Clark might want to get another retainer made...to keep his million dollar smile.

I waited with Clark until he was done, and then we ran a couple of errands. Holly still wasn't done, but we went out and sat in the salon until she was. Then we had a late lunch at Chick...before we picked up Joshua and headed back home. I was worn out, because what I had thought would be 2 "free" days for me...with Joshua at TR...turned into two very busy days.

But it was all good. :)

On Wednesday, Holly went down to Little Rock with Joshua and me. She had to go get fingerprinted for her background check...for her new job at the hospital. We dropped Joshua off at TR, and headed to the police headquarters. To say that we looked out-of-place there would be an understatement. After she was finished up and we were safely back in the car, I told Holly that, hindsight: it probably wasn't a good idea for her to bust up in there in her MK watch and fancy purse and all. She looked like she had stepped out of a photo-shoot. We had to walk through a sea of people wearing jumpsuits. It was just not a good situation, and I'm glad it's over...and I'm glad I went with her. I know she's 26 years old, but I would not have wanted her to go there by herself.

We ate lunch at a Chinese restaurant. Holly had been feeling kinda puny for several days...so we split an order. I gave her the wonton soup and one "ball" of rice. I ate the other "ball" of rice and the kung pao chicken. And then we picked up Joshua and headed home.

Holly and I went to choir. I dropped her off at her house and came home. I made myself a baked potato, because Jim and the boys had already eaten. I looked up and in walked Holly and Aaron! He had waited on her to eat, and they had picked up sandwiches...and brought them over to eat at our house.

I love that we live in the same town, and that they like to come over and hang out.

I know. This is a boring post. But we've had a good week and I just want to remember these summer days.

"The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display His craftsmanship." Psalm 19:1

Friends Who Pray

I had the neatest thing happen this morning.

When I woke up and checked my phone, I had a text from a friend.

She's a sweet friend. Not a super-close friend, but a casual friend. A sister-in-Christ.

Her message was simple: She had heard that my Logan had been accepted into the OTD program (Occupational Therapy), and so she texted to say that she was so happy to be marking him off of her prayer list! And she attached a picture of a page from her prayer journal, with a big line drawn through the prayer request for Logan.

Honestly, I had forgotten that I'd asked her to pray about Logan getting into this program.

And as her words sank in, I died.

No, seriously. I. DIED.

Because WHO DOES THAT?

Do YOU?

When you ask someone to pray for you, or one of your children, do you think they really pray for you, or one of your children? Or is it just something people casually say?

And when someone asks YOU to pray for THEIR child, do you really pray for their child, or do you just say it as an off-hand remark: "I'll keep you in my prayers."

I don't mean one time, because most of us can remember to pray for someone one time, right? How many times do we mentally think, "pray for ______, CHECK!" And then move on with our day...and our lives.

I guess that there are some people I believe will pray for my family...you know, parents, close friends, Sunday School teachers. The rest of the people, you never really know if they do or not. But here it was...in black and white. A page from her prayer journal, and my son's name...there in the middle of a bunch of other names. Family, friends, strangers...all in need of prayer.

I was so incredibly touched that this friend...this lady who lives in another town...took time out of her busy schedule...away from time spent praying for her own family and close friends...to pray for my son.

That is powerful, people.

Because, don't y'all just get tired? Weary? Burned out?

What would it mean to you, if you found out that someone was praying for you, or for one of your children? Wouldn't it mean the world to you?

This is what we need to be doing, y'all.

And, hey...I'm really preaching to myself. I could seriously cry at the times I've been so casual about it.

Prayer...it's not magic. It's not voo-doo. God is not like Santa Claus.

Prayer might not change your circumstances, but it might. And if it does, it's not you...it's all God.

God can use your prayers to change your heart, or the hearts of others. Prayer brings us all together for a common goal. It binds us together in a way that nothing else does. It points us to the One who is the giver of everything, the Source of all life, the Compass Who shows us the way, the Comforter in all circumstances.

It's supportive. It's encouraging.

It holds up the arms of those who are weary.

We should be intentional about doing this for others. Who can you pray for today?

"Pray without ceasing." 1 Thessalonians 5:17

Snakes In The Pool

So, the other day, Jim came in and said that he'd caught a little snake in the backyard. And, being the snake expert that I am, I said, "in your garden? Is that what's been eating your broccoli?"

Because Jim has a little garden in the back corner of our yard. He loves growing things, and feeling like he's "living off the land."

If you can call a 1 inch carrot and a potato the size of a ping-pong ball "living off the land."

He does grow other things, tho, and quite well: tomatoes, jalapenos, broccoli, asparagus...one potato.

He started growing asparagus several years ago, because he saw how expensive it was at the grocery. It takes a while, and he doesn't get a whole, whole lot...but he loves it.

This year, he decided to grow broccoli. I don't know that he's ever grown broccoli before, but he's been watching it and caring for it. He came in the other day all mad, because something ate the head off of one of one of his broccoli plants during the night.

The next night...the same thing happened.

We have no idea what could be eating it. With Maggie, our geriatric, Black Lab, wanting to sleep in the garage at night, instead of on her bed on the back porch...it could be anything.

I suggested a bunny, but Jim said he didn't think a bunny could reach it. I said, "a squirrel? A bird? A raccoon? A coyote?" I don't know. But what I DO know, because Jim told me, is that it would most definitely NOT be a SNAKE.

Anyway, I'm chasing rabbits. Ooooo...maybe it was a RABBIT that ate Jim's broccoli!

Oh, wait. I said, "bunny." That's pretty much the same thing as a rabbit, because, really...how much bigger is a rabbit from a bunny? NOT.MUCH.

Unless you're in Australia, home of the giant bunnies.

Oh, wait. I'm thinking of a kangaroo.

WHATEVER.

I'M SORRY.

There is a venomous snake in a MASON JAR on the table on our patio. EXCUSE ME FOR NOT THINKING STRAIGHT.

So, Jim casually mentioned he'd caught a snake in the backyard, and no one in here really batted an eye. After he shot me down when I asked if he found the snake in his garden, he said, "no, it was swimming in the pool with me this morning."

EEEK!

Clark asked, "what kind of snake is it?" Jim said, "I think it's a baby Copperhead." The kids started asking "where?" and "how big?" and "are you sure?" And that's how Marty was nearly trampled to death by her very own children, as they ran over her to get to the back door.

When I came to, I searched The Google under "Facts about Copperheads," and read that a mommy Copperhead can give birth to 7-10 babies.

With my recent post-wreck anxiety that I've written about, I DO NOT NEED THIS STRESS!

Because now I'm wondering where the other babies are. AND THE MOM.

And I've pretty much convinced myself that one of them is going to somehow get into our sewer system, and swim through the pipes to my potty.

AND YOU BETTER BELIEVE THAT I LOOK EVERY TIME.

"Be well balanced, be vigilant and cautious at all times; for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring, seeking someone to seize upon and devour." 1 Peter 5:8

Camp Barnabas 2015: Joshua Gives A Slap Down

One of my most favorite things is to see groups of kids and adults with Down Syndrome all together in one place.

Because, if you're like me...and I realize that probably none of you are...I never saw a person with Down Syndrome until I had Joshua. That means I lived over 25 years of my life...and I had lived all over the United States and in 2 foreign countries by this point...never experiencing anyone too different from myself.

Am I seriously that unobservant? 

WHERE were these precious souls in my world?

So, the more I've been around Joshua and his friends, the more I am able to see the differences and uniqueness in each person. Yes, they all have similarities. But even the ones who have Down Syndrome, altho they share the beautiful almond-shaped eyes, the short (travel-sized) stature, the lower (cuter) ears, they will have many, MANY differences in their personalities and abilities.

JUST LIKE WITH YOU AND EVERY OTHER PERSON IN YOUR LIFE.

I've noticed that people who aren't around kids/adults like Joshua, tend to lump them all in a group...and give them ALL characteristics/make expectations that are based on their own experiences.

Whatever. 

Where I'm going with this is that for many years, Joshua's cabin at Camp Barnabas was FULL of young men with Down Syndrome. Red hair, blonde hair, brown hair; Black, Hispanic, White; tall, short, heavy, thin...IT WAS SO COOL!

Over the past few years, tho, his cabin has been more diverse, with boys who have various challenges...not just those with Down Syndrome. And that's okay, too.

In the cabins, there are bunk beds. All the campers sleep on all the bottom bunks, and all the CIA-helpers...they are calling them "missionaries" now...they sleep on the top. The guy who slept on the bunk next to Joshua was named Blake.

Before we left on drop-off day, I made Joshua's bed for him. Because he's a germ-freak, I always put a fitted sheet on the mattress first. Then, I put his pillow and sleeping bag on top of that...so that nothing has to touch the icky mattress.

Joshua said that the first night, he looked up and Blake had grabbed his (Joshua's) sleeping bag and pulled it off the bunk. Joshua went up to him and said, "hey, you can't take that off my bed," and jerked it out of Blake's hands. Blake then shoved Joshua in the head, and kind of bent his glasses a little. And that's when Joshua hauled off and smacked the kid.

Which, this is TOTALLY uncharacteristic of Joshua. He is a peace-maker.

Also, nobody puts baby in a corner.

And before you ask like I did WHERE was his CIA-HELPER-MISSIONARY person, Daniel-from-Colorado...I think this all happened in a split-second.

Joshua was fine. He didn't get in trouble, since he was defending himself...and Daniel helped fix his glasses.

Joshua said that Blake got in trouble all week, but they still included him in everything...which just goes to show how hard the helpers and STAFF work to make everyone's camping experience the best and safest it can be. Joshua said that he just tried to stay out of Blake's way as much as he could.

In other news, they usually have hamburgers and hot-dogs on the first night of camp, but Joshua said THIS year, they had grilled chicken. He said the chicken was so hard, he couldn't even cut it...and Daniel-from-Colorado couldn't cut it.

And in his very next breath, he said, "it was really good."

WHAT?

And then he said, "maybe it wasn't even chicken...maybe it was buffalo."

"...overcome evil with good." Romans 12:21