Summer 2018
We have been blessed to be able to take some time to sit back and enjoy God's creation together as a family this summer!
What a Summer it has been! We started off the early summer riding across Florida, then getting an old vehicle to travel up to Canada, visiting friends on the way, and for the last 3 months have been here in beautiful Prince Edward Island, working a Bible summer camp as Maintenance Director. Well, Tristan is working. I (Katie) am being wife, mom, helper and supervisor of the hermit crab discoveries.
Camping while on our cross-Florida bike trip early this summer (April). You can read more about our bike trip HERE!
Tristan has been kept busy among other things, installing a huge tarp slide for the camp, fixing things, renovating buildings at camp, building a dirt pump track for BMX, fixing things, making wonderful new friendships with the other staff at camp, fixing things, building stairs and doors and fences and kitchens.
Tristan helping get opening night of "Survivor" Week off to a blaze-y start!
I feel like I have mainly supervised the girls playing this summer. They love to play with the other 6 staff kids here at camp, on the playground and swings and biking all over. Sprout #1 and #2 both learned how to ride on 2 wheels at the beginning of the summer, and Sprout #3 just learned in the last week! Even Sprout #4 tries to ride the balance bike, though it is a tad too tall still! They love racing around the BMX track too, getting covered in PEI red dirt.
The girls with their friends biking on the BMX track at camp.
The girls turned 6, 5, 4, and 1 this Spring/Summer and time feels like it is flying by! They are growing up way too fast. We try to keep learning a part of every day, be that identifying new wild edible (and toxic) plants, discovering and picking wild strawberries and raspberries, learning how to clam dig, swimming 'lessons' in the pool, jelly fish finding, or crafts focusing on the Fruits of the Spirit. I am trying to get organised for home-school starting very soon (grade 1, K, and PreK... along with a toddler getting into everything!).
Digging some clams.
It is so great to be able to live at camp and do all the fun activities week after week! Sprout #1 actually was a camper and slept in a cabin for 2 nights in a K-Gr.3 mini week of camp, and she had a blast!
The girls are learning, growing and enjoying the fun camp activities we have done as a family!
I think about the last few months and realize that our family has been stretched in so many ways. We have been stretched physically as we biked and camped in the heat, being able to push for just another miles even when we thought we were exhausted. It showed us that we can do so much more than we think we can.
We have been stretched emotionally as we learn how to juggle camp ministry, family time and personal rest time. Camp work is very consuming and it can be a challenge to put aside time as a family to do things just with us. We treasure the times we can go clam digging together, or swim in the pool or canoe to and camp on an uninhabited island as a family.
Setting off on a little canoe trip to an uninhabited island to camp! Read about it HERE.
We have also been stretched spiritually as we learn to rely on God even more for our strength and wisdom for each day, and for the future! Life decisions are not always simple, but they are usually just one step at a time, and that is where our family is too. We take things one step at a time, seeing where God leads us, and what He has for us next. It sure is an adventure!
We had a busy, learning, growing summer and are looking forward to this Fall and all the new things it will bring as we settle in with life on the Island (PEI). We are excited to continue to build relationships with all those around us, and discover how God can use our passions and gifts in the coming season ahead.
Enjoying a PEI sunset as a family.