Creating memories is hard work.
This is a slogan us moms thought of a long time ago when we were camping. We lived and breathed it so much we actually had t-shirts made! So many little ones running around the campground. Pack-n-plays. Octagons with sheets on the ground. Bicycles with training wheels…we always knew where they were because we could hear them. Baby wipes by the caseload. Crafts created, air fresheners eaten, escape artists challenged, Minute to Win It and charades by the fire. Oh, and beach days…sometimes truck loads were easier than lugging everything. Adults were definitely outnumbered.
Our church has been doing an annual camping trip for years. My husband and I started attending in the year 2007. We had three boys then, but we only took the two oldest that year. Number 3 had a broken leg and we were NOT going to bring that to camping. We had a tent with air mattresses, sleeping bags, smores larger than their face, a broom to sweep the dirt and car rides for naps. After a few years of tenting, a popup camper was next. The three boys on one bed. My husband and I slept in the other bed. We would have the boys ride their bikes while we set up. It never failed that one of them would be back for first aid before everything was set up.
Then my sister-in-law had a camper she was willing to let us borrow…bless her! Now with five kiddos, only two could sleep inside the camper, the older three boys were out in a tent. This was the set up for many years…and this will probably be the last year.
GWC Campout 2024 is one for the books in many areas. Pioneer Park was the destination, however, they were updating their site and we couldn’t reserve until March; we typically reserve January 1. That Monday morning in March, everyone and their mother was on-line reserving. It was hard to get group sites…texts were flying, trying to arrange sites together so we weren’t separated by strangers. Phew…done.
Then it was time to get the camper ready for our family to go. It is a process. I empty out most of my sister-in-law’s things, except her silverware, and replace with our items for camping. Unfortunately, some mice found a home within the camper sometime between last camper use and this year. Droppings were everywhere. I was bleaching everything! While cleaning, I opened the cupboard under the bathroom sink…nest. I found a nest of toilet paper and insulation. YUCK! More bleach. Towards the end of cleaning I remembered I hadn’t checked the oven. I never use the oven. Should I look?…I peak in…yep. Another nest. Double YUCK! My husband set a few traps to see if any were still housing…they were evacuated. We texted my husband’s brother and his wife…so sorry. That next day I spent washing all of her items…four loads of laundry and all her dishes/silverware.
Things were getting packed into the camper for final loads on Thursday morning. Ready for check in that afternoon…until I get a text…the park doesn’t have power. Ugh! After more texting and brainstorming on next steps, my husband and I jump into his car and drive to the campground ourselves. We need answers. The staff was super nice. The sites we reserved were not affected by the down trees/branches from the storm that blew in two days prior. However, there was no power. Estimation of restoration was for that afternoon and we could visually see all the power companies with their crews and trucks. So, we all decided to go ahead on faith. Faith that when we arrive and set up, power will be back on.
After setting up camp, finding that I forgot a few things, not being able to order pizza for delivery (no service and no wi-fi because power is still out), we head out of the campground. The pizza place we were going to order from was a no go for reasons I can’t even describe. So, Wendy’s it was…until I went to order a salad and they only had one of the four salads listed…the one I can’t eat…so, iced tea, please. Meijer was next due to the items I forgot (toilet paper, bed sheets and bread). I grabbed a deli salad that I inhaled on the way back to the campground. Fire made. Shouts of praise when power was restored around 9:30 pm. Sigh…day one.
It was unseasonably cold. I never wore shorts the entire week. Jeans and sweatshirts only. One night it dropped to 44 degrees. The guys played disc golf every day. The girls went to Goodwill and out to eat once. Beach days were weird. One day it was jeans, a sweatshirt and shoes. Sand blasting everywhere. Someone was trying to get wedding pictures. Paddleboards became surf boards. Next day we were able to get bathing suits on and quickly head to the beach where Vitamin D made its presence. One sunset out of six was watched with pictures taken. More fires at night, but with blankets.
Saturday nights are for potlucks. We all bring a dish to share and gather our camp chairs around in a circle. Boba creations were the big hit this year. Then off to Norm’s for ice cream.
Sunday mornings are typical. We gather at 10 am for church, usually in the same spot as the potluck. Camp chairs in a circle. I bring my speaker and we sing two songs. The first is usually Days of Elijah…with motions. If you don’t know, you can ask our son, Alek. He is the best at them. The second song varies. Our Family Life Pastor then brings a message that always begins with an illustration involving the kids. This is my favorite part of our church campout…having church service in our camp chairs with camp hair and cups of coffee/tea…because Keurigs are essential for camping, right?
Kids play the game Bigger and Better every year. This year was different, but it is tradition, so they played it Monday morning before some people had to leave. They started with a quarter and came back with an giant inflatable lobster pool float . There are other games/activities that are staple…slack line for balance challenges, hammocks for lounging and corn hole tournaments. Oh, and bikes…doesn’t matter if the bike belongs to you or not…hop on one before you get left behind!
Monday night was cold. We were five days and four nights in. Radar called for rain the next day and storms Tuesday night into Wednesday morning…when we were to check out. Plan B was in the works…pack up the sleeping tent and picnic table tent while still dry on Tuesday morning, along with any other items we won’t be using. Tuesday afternoon during the rain showers, the kids packed into a camper to watch a movie, while the adults played Farkle under a different awning. Plans were then made to go to Pizza Hut for dinner…being cold and wet is…no bueno. Plus…I forgot the pulled pork that was in the freezer at home and the egg sandwiches were eaten as breakfast instead of dinner one night. So, I had no dinner plans except cold sandwiches.
We arrive at Pizza Hut, place our orders and find seating. Girls in one booth. Boys in another booth. Adults pushed tables together so we could have conversation. Phones were being checked, the TV playing was being watched and warm food filled our tummies. When it was time to submit to leaving, the rain was heavy. We return to our campers to find them under water…literally. Our ground mat was seriously floating. We open the camper to find it…leaking…ugh! I took off my shoes and climbed into bed, with my hoody over my head. Number 3 son, Isaak, asked, “Mom, what are you doing?” I reply, “I’m crying.” About 20 minutes later, he came back. “Mom, now what are you doing?”…”I am still crying.”
My husband at this time was out trying to find a solution to sleeping arrangements. They arranged for all the younger boys to sleep in one camper. All the girls to sleep in another camper and Isaak to sleep in our camper with us…then…the power…goes out! WHAT? JUST HAPPENED?!
At this point, I get out of bed. Put my shoes on and go outside. I find a group of adults in a circle talking things through. I look at my husband, “I am all done. ALL. DONE. I want to go home. I can not be positive any more”…it’s 8:30 pm.
So, we concur with others and we all begin to pack up. Everything. We pull into our driveway at 10:50 pm Tuesday night. We never leave early. We always stay our full duration. We get our money’s worth, make all the memories we can…we refuse to come back to reality of life’s responsibilities…until this year. Until GWC Campout 2024.
We started without power. We ended without power. We froze. We got sunburned. We surfed and paddle boarded. We ate licorice and Pringles on the beach. We buried kids in the sand. We got ice cream. We made smores and hobo pies. We did all things camping. Will we camp again with church family, yes. What does that look like moving forward…to be determined.
Creating memories is hard work.
I am ONE story,
~ Kristy