This week . . .

Life really starts to get crazy today.

Our program staff arrives tonight for their two-week training to become camp counselors. We go over guidelines and expectations with them tonight, along with a few ice breakers and the ins and outs of their jobs for the summer. Tomorrow we spend the day doing group building initiatives and working on our low ropes course.

Tomorrow is also an exciting day because it's Jack's birthday AND our friends Aaron and Alisha and their son (who is Jack's age) Micah are coming by camp on their way back to St. Louis to have breakfast with us. I can't even explain to you how excited I am about that . . . we haven't seen them since December of 2006! I'm sure I'll have some pictures to share!

Then on Tuesday, we leave on a rustic camping trip at the Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness Area. With a one year old in tow. All year, I had anticipated this would be the first time that I'd have to leave Jack overnight somewhere, but that didn't really pan out so we're taking him with us. No running water. No electricity. Lots of sand. Twenty college students. And a one year old. This should be interesting.

The wilderness area is right on Lake Michigan and is one of the most beautiful places I've seen. On Wednesday, we send our staff out for some solo time while they clear their heads and their hearts while they listen for what God might have to say. It will be our seventh time taking a group up there and every year is just as meaningful to me as the year before. God begins work when we're up there that he continues throughout the summer . . . it's incredible to see it unfold.

We return on Thursday and I am taking pictures for a wedding on Thursday night . . . it's outdoors and I'm praying for no rain. Kyle has his baseball awards "banquet" on Thursday night as well, so we're hoping Katie will be able to get off work early to come watch Jack. Then Thursday night, we continue with more training sessions. At our house, of course, because it will go past Jack's bedtime. We've hired someone to be a sort of nanny to Jack this summer while we work, but she's also a substitute counselor in case we need an extra girl, so during our training weeks, she'll be in all of the training sessions.

Friday, we have a full day of training and then Saturday we're hoping to participate in the Lake Association garage sale and unload some of our junk. Then the rest of the camp staff arrives next Sunday.

My head is already spinning.