Going Back is the Best of All!

So, we hit the road Friday afternoon, and made it to Atlanta. Aunt Lindsey was generous enough to let us stay at her place despite not being there, and Aunt Kristi was the backseat hero! Eli did great even though he stayed up too late fighting sleep. It was the most peaceful trip to date. Thanks for the prayers; they worked! And thanks to Aunt Kristi for being an amazing playmate.

Saturday morning, we hit the road again. After "tanking up" at Starbucks, we followed our GPS and the smell of the mountains into North Carolina. After a detour down a long, windy, gravel road to the Sweet Treats (a local ice cream treat...) owner's home(!) (whoops!...that is what we get for typing a location into the GPS and trusting it... ), we stopped at a roadside waterfall. Eli was in awe of the water falling off the rocks and onto the road. It was all we could do to keep him from getting into trouble...in the road...in the water...around the rocks...oh my!

We then headed into the "Hamptons of North Carolina", a.k.a. Highlands where we wandered the shops, ate pizza, and actually did delight in some Sweet Treats ice cream. Eli loved his licks while dad mastered the Ring Game.

Now, the actual reason for this trip was the summer camp my sisters and I grew up going to was having a reunion to celebrate 90 years. Pretty amazing. I went to Merrie-Woode for 13 or 14 summers and Kristi went for 17, so we have spent a good part of our summers there, making lots of memories. There was a cocktail party on the edge of camp Saturday evening. Kristi and I loved seeing, reminiscing and catching up with many friends.

Sunday, we were lucky to spend the day at camp with other alumnae and parents of campers. There was quite a turnout...probably 600 people! It was like we were kids again, getting butterflies of excitement as we drove down the camp road. My mind started racing with all the times I rode, drove, ran, or walked down that road. From my first summer at age nine in "Sunny Shack" through college as a counselor. Singing songs, making dear friendships, and crying (SOBBING!) when it was time to leave. Camp Merrie-Woode is a place I cherish with memories that are irreplaceable. These were some of the best times of my life. I was blessed (spoiled is more like it...) to have had the opportunity to attend this amazing camp. Seeing Lake Fairfield, nestled at the base of Old Bald...the campers in uniform...the cabins I spent so much time in lining the lake....WOW! I love it here!

We got there early enough to let Eli run around and get a good seat for the chapel service. Eli found some water lilies, but didn't care for jelly lilies.

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After chapel, we had some down time to find old friends, walk around camp, and just bask in being there; breathing the beautiful mountain air. Eli was plumb tuckered out, so Matt took him back to the hotel for a catnap. They made it back in time for the afternoon crew races. Kristi and I each spent a good part of the afternoon talking with some sweet friends that we haven't seen in YEARS! It made the trip so worth it! It was wonderful to see everyone, hear what they were doing, and hear how their lives have changed...or not...kids, husbands, jobs, adventures...

Eli loved the newness and openness of camp. He found lots to do and lots of mischief to stir up.

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I'm so glad I got to share CMW with him.

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Leaving camp is always hard...again, it reminds me of being a kid and not wanting to go. The trip was too short!! I didn't feel like we got to *do* North Carolina-type things. Just one of the many reasons we should go again...SOON! We stopped at one of the last, beautiful mountain vistas as we headed down and out of the mountains to snap a few more photos...

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And the drive home....it was fine. Eli did great again. Thank the Lord (seriously...) for an awesome aunt and Grandma's DVD player. One episode of his favorite show and lots of attention from his backseat companions made the trip go smoothly. Praise Jesus! It could have been rough...