Summer is for camping.  Camping is for family bonding.  I never expected to ever camp with just my boys and without my husband. Doing all the hard lifting and getting the fire going – that was a challenge.  My husband is usually the chef on our camping adventures, so I kinda get a break.  It’s something he enjoyed and I sat back and watched how proud he was of his cooking skills. 

I was blessed to have family and friends that came out to the campsite and set it up for the three night stay I had committed to.  Thank you guys!( especially my brother in law Dima- he's a machine!)  I am sure with blood, sweat, and tears, I still would have set the tent up myself, and dragged the amount of stuff that took me four hours to pack, from the car to the campsite and been miserable after trying to set things up.  So I am thankful for the help.  I did indeed break a nail or three... Sigh. But, I am proud to say that I camped with my boys all by myself!  We had a blast and we bonded and prayed for daddy to choose us and get freedom and healing of mind, body and heart.  I don’t want to get into details about my struggles in this post, but I am sure I will be opening my heart and soul here in time.  At the end I want to share a testimony that the enemy is trying so hard to keep from happening. But, I will win. I know it.

So, lets talk camping. We went to our favorite spot in Washington called Cresap Bay.  It has everything a camper like me would want.  A bathroom with showers! And the lake and all that. 

Trails are easy, but I had to wear the baby because it's not stroller friendly. We took a few stops to look at dead trees, one in particular that looks like it was struck by lightning and burned from the inside - looks pretty cool.  Gosh, that hike took hours and it was only about a mile long.  The lake is absolutely beautiful! It's especially enjoyed on a boat, paddle board, floater, or jumping off the logs and swimming all day.  I did see a few people fishing and we saw fish off the dock.  Oh and speaking of the dock, the highlight of my son’s day was jumping off of it.  I know – to be a kid!

I gotta say – camping is so exhausting and there is so much planning and making sure things are packed, but, it’s worth it! My tip is to be organized. To pack things that are grouped together in bins or baskets.  A French press is a must and a whole lot of activities for the kids.  I tried to make it pretty magical for them.  I found lanterns that are powered by a battery, blankets, and a lot of snack food.  Goodness, I have boys, so any time there is a fire going on, all they need is a stick and they are set. 

Bottom line is this – no matter what the circumstance you are facing, don’t stop living.  I mean living to the fullest.  The enemy is here to steal, kill and destroy.  And he is after your joy.  Don’t let him win.   Especially you mamas, you are the example your kids will look to.  They need to see your strength and carry it with them all their lives and to the lives of the next generation to come.  So go explore, go camping… teach them to choose joy in times of uncertainties and always see the light instead of darkness that is all around us.