I am so thankful that in the midst of a wonderfully hectic summer (can I get an “amen”?!), Kevin and I had the opportunity to head to Somerset Beach Campground. This camp has been our home-away-from-home for many years now (8 for me, 25+ for Kevin!). You know those places in your life that act as part of your foundation? where you can step back inside and know you belong? where memories are abundant and new joys are just waiting to be experienced? I love those spots! And SBC is definitely on that list in our lives.
Our purpose for visiting was threefold.
A) It was SMCFMC (long, but accurate acronym) Family Camp. We can’t miss family camp!
B) Kevin was leading one of the youth “afterglows”–a fun event for all of the teens.
C) Many of our family and friends would be there. And who doesn’t need to reconnect now and again? (Facebook just doesn’t cut it. thankfully.)
After a 7 (turned 9) hour drive from NY to MI in 90 (million) degree heat in our efficient (yet un-air conditioned Honda Civic, Kevin and I arrived at site 79–his parents’ camp site year after year. We set up our tent with just moments to spare before darkness fell, took much-needed showers, and hit the sack. For the next three days, we enjoyed all of the time we had to catch up with Mom & Dad. (Can I just say how cool it is that the parent-child relationship grows into something so beautifully mutual as we grow older? I really love it. And yes, parents-of-teens, there’s hope. :D) It’s tough being 7 hours away from them now, after having years where we lived just an hour’s drive away and saw them frequently. We had a lot of talking to do. :)
Both sets of Kevin’s grandparents were at camp as well and they spoiled us with love (and a lunch out at Freddie’s Freeze) just as they always do. My bro-in-law, Brian, is officially grown up–he has his own staff trailer on the grounds and is working full time before heading to SAU’s campus in the fall. We didn’t get to see him as much as usual, but that’s what growing up and moving out and having a girlfriend do to you. :)
One of the mornings, we drove into Jackson where Kevin was going to do some work over a Venti Coffee at Starbucks and I was meeting up with these wonderful girls from college.
With Karina in Chicago, Britt in Colorado, me in New York, and the others spread throughout Michigan we don’t get together nearly as much as we’d like. But it was a wonderful gift that everyone was willing to rearrange schedules and drive many hours to get together for just a morning. We enjoyed brunch at Panera and then visited for a while longer back at Angie’s house.
One other bonus of being at Family Camp was visiting with some of the teens we’d said goodbye to last August. It was fun hanging out and catching up on their lives. It’s astounding to me to see how quickly teenagers grow up and change after just a year. Wow. Plus, we were honored to be asked by Brooke & Alisha to take their senior portraits around the campgrounds. Here are two from the collection:
Our time at SBC was over far too quickly! But we’re thankful for the time we had to reconnect with dear friends, like Sara and Debbie (not to mention meeting their beautiful baby girls), seeing the same familiar faces that grace the grounds during family camp each year, and just enjoying a change in pace for a few days.
It was great to have you there at camp. We miss being able to sit down and talk on a regular basis. It is so rewarding to see how you and Kevin have grown into young adults of faith. Thanks for the time we had together.