Camping Trip Highlights
May 31, 2008
Last weekend the kids came home with sandy pockets stuffed with seashells and I came home with a memory card filled with not-so-great photos. But some of the weekend's highlights couldn't be collected from the beach or captured, poorly or not, on camera. I'll call them my trip treasures, and here they are:
Watching my husband "shine", totally in his element. Being out in the woods, packing light to get there and figuring out how our family can go further in this regard is one of my husband's passions. Camping is his domain, something which can't always be said of our home, seeing as I'm chief home-maker and child raiser. It was great to experience the joy he gets from pared down (everything fits in our car with room to spare) camping.
Experiencing the pure contentment of a day well lived. Tired from hiking, but washed and warm and looking forward to a supper I didn't plan or prepare for. Remembering a day of challenges and beauty and looking forward to a cozy night snuggled close to the people I love most in the world.These eight words spoken by my husband "I'd like to help you in the garden". I didn't even ask, honest. This is the paraphrased version of what he told me: I really appreciate you going camping with me and enjoying this pursuit* and I'd like to support you in your interests. What a great guy. First he takes me camping and does all the work - like duh, of course I'll go camping with you! And then he offers to help me meet some of my goals, like having a tidy yard, growing pretty flowers and a modest amount of veggies. You rock baby!
*I want to point out that it's not hard to enjoy camping when I don't have to plan, cook or even pack the kid's clothes. And I also have the loveliest sleeping bag and sleeping mat. I'm like the campsite queen or something.More words spoken by my husband "it's important to me that you get a new camera sooner than later". I never even made the suggestion. Well, what more can I say...So far most of this is about my husband, but I have one more not related to Damien.
Watching my son stand up against bullies for what he believes in. There were some older boys at the lake who were unjustly killing minnows. Laurent can understand killing an animal to eat it, if you must (or if you really just want that chicken nugget) but hurting animals for amusement is something he simply can't abide by. After witnessing such actions he came to us in tears, upset and wondering what to do. So we guided and offered some suggestions and then watched as he made the choice to confront the beach bullies at least 3 years older than him. And although he was within our sights, he did it alone, fighting his own battle so to speak. I don't know that he changed their behavior but he stood up for what was right and I'm SO proud of him. And this in spite of (because of?) being homeschooled and sheltered from the "real world" of playground bullying.
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Amanda T. on June 1, 2008, 12:37 a.m.
Way to go Laurent!!! I am so proud of you for standing up for what you believe in...
Love,
Auntie Amanda
P.s. Great Blog Renee. I really love reading about your life....It makes me wish we lived closer to each other!