CheriGENERAL

Our 1st annual Easter/Spring family weekend is over … but the memories (and photos!) will be with us forever. We were one family shy of all the fam being present, but we look forward to ’09 when my sister, Barbara and her family can join us.
As I watched our families interact last weekend, and looked at the posed and candid photos, many things caught my eye, but one observation warmed my heart. It was the love and show of affection. There was an abundance of hugs, kisses, encouragement, loving touch. Yes, we do have our baggage, just like any other family, but this weekend the baggage was in the trunk and the love was flowing. It amazed me how the older kids looked after the younger ones, the younger ones respected the older kids. They interacted – amazingly. Even the grown-ups behaved!
We had a very action packed weekend…here’s how it all unfolded:
Friday at 4:30 We gathered at Dickson Valley Camp – A Christian camp in Newark, IL
First: Unload vehicles and get room assignments for 18 people.
Room #1 The dads
Room #2 The moms
Room #3 Cara/Kenzie/Bailey/Danae
Room #4 Tristan/Nate
Room #5 Grandparents
Room #6 Jersti/Kale
Room #7 Molly/Brigs
Room #3: Cara/Kenzi/Bailey/Danae.
They moved 3 beds together for their giant bed!
Room #4: Tristan/Nate
Molly & Brigs visiting Tristan


Next: Men make fire… (Tom & Kirk)
Then the camera’s come out…in full force!
Dee, Mom, Amy….checking their photos Everyone gets in on the picture taking… (Jersti -5), Nate & Kale -3)
I love this pic of Nate and Kale….Nate is letting Kale take a pic of the two of them.
Nate and Mackenzie check out the self portrait they just took…(note –Nate’s arm is around Kenz) ….see Kale’s arm around Nate’s leg?
After the first round of picture taking the ladies got dinner ready…