We got our campers back!

We got our campers back after 6 days away from us! They had a super time. We got lots of stories about how they caught 7 frogs ("Really? But didn't they tinkle on you?" "We didn't care, mama!") and how they once caught a turtle on the fishing pole and had to take it off the hook. We heard about how hungry they were at meal time and how much the enjoyed the Bible stories. We heard about convincing a counselor to put ice down their cousin's back. And all the while I thought of how the years with them are growing shorter and shorter.

Welcome back, sweet girls!

It was surely an easy week...

...but I like being outnumbered better!

Chinese Take Out

We still miss Singaporean food so much. One night I stopped to get us some Chinese Take Out for dinner. We went in and ordered from the Chinese lady. Then Perma Baby turned to her and said, "It smells soooooooooo good in here. I just want to live here as my house!"

Cultural Adjustment

One late afternoon PB and I ran to the grocery store to get some things to make a lasagna. As we walked through the store, she said, "But mommy, WHY do they keep making cold wind blow everywhere we go?" I smiled and explained it was air conditioning, and she just wasn't used to it. Then I glanced over only to see a horrified lady staring me down. Do you think I'll get a call from DHS for not providing air conditioning for my kid?

Swim Time!

We thoroughly enjoyed the pool at the home in which we stayed during camp week. Our friends had told us that the pool had a 'chiller'...just to press a button to cool the pool down. We were just so happy to be in a pool that didn't turn us blue (like the ones on our Turkey vacations), we never chilled it, we just enjoyed not being hypothermic!!

I want to get some sort of a tan this summer, freckled though I am. CC started to fuss at me mid-way through the week. He accused me of being a sun worshiper. He fussed that I was going to get skin cancer. He sent me in after 20 minutes in the sun. I told my mom, "You know, I think he's just worried that I'll become so darkly savage that someone might want to steal me away." Her reply? "Steal you away?! With all those kids you have?!" That made me laugh.

The Week Without Them

With our Singapore girls at camp, it was...frankly, too easy! This little Big Guy missed having a big sis to sit by him in the car and pacify his every desire.

But we took advantage of the fact that we only had 2 kids and did some things that we used to do when we only had 2 kids. Perma Baby had lots of play time with her cousin. All the older cousins, on both sides, were at the same camp.

We went to the Memphis Zoo. It could not have been more different than Ankara's! Big Ben and PB were so taken by these animal statues on the walk up to the zoo, it could have been the event of the day!

CC and I hardly knew what to do with ourselves. We were suddenly not outnumbered. We were suddenly on equal teams. 2 kids. 2 parents. We'd come home and night and sort of sigh..."I'll put him to bed. You put her to bed." In some very strange way, we missed the absolute insanity of being so outnumbered! But it was also a nice break. Still, I counted the days til they were home.

Camp!

As soon as we settled in to Memphis, we headed back out the next day to take the Singapore girls to camp. Firstborn went last year, but this was my first time to take Twinkle Toes and Miss Middler. As soon as church was out and we were driving out to the campground, I said something like this..."Ok, now listen up. I have some helpful advice for you. 1. Do NOT wear anyone else's hat. 2. Do NOT let anyone else wear your hat. 3. Wear your crocs in the shower. 4. Don't forget sunscreen. 5. Don't forget bug spray. 6. Do NOT use anyone else's brush. (Do you see a theme here? If you've read my blog for any length of time, you'll know why.) 7. Wear deodorant if you are stinky. 8. If you miss me, tell your counselor, she's like a mommy for the week. 9. They only invite nice people to be counselors...people like me...I used to be a counselor at this camp. 10. Don't stay up late talking. 11. Take showers.

Their heads were spinning, but I got all that information out and felt better.

We got them all settled in their bunks.

And I gave the two of them big hugs and realized I had not yet bought waterproof mascara. I almost needed it that day.

Then we left them and went to settle in Firstborn. She was not in her cabin. Her sheets were already on her bed, her bag stowed, and her fan clipped to her bunk. I wandered out of the cabin and found her walking down the path to the mess hall. Seemed like in just one year, she'd become the Camp Pro.

Family

After our tire blowout, we rolled into Memphis, got a new tire, and headed on to see our family!

Mimi got each of the girls heading to camp a fun ring.

Perma-Baby was happy to see her cousin!

We had a meal together and some good fellowship, including long-awaited snuggle time.

Here's CC and his sweet sis.