This past June, I was contacted by my dear college roommate, she had also included four other dear college friends, to see if we could all gather and camp for a weekend. Social media and the occasional baby shower provided quick, passerby connections over the years, but thinking of a weekend with them was beyond dreamy! What are the odds that each family was able to settle on an open weekend (which was only a few weeks out), find a campground which had five spots (all next to each other), then actually DO IT! Really!!! It was CRAZY BEAUTIFUL!!!
Gotta love the adventure our family had, like usual, getting there, the “should be” three hour trek turned almost seven hours because stinkin’ route 81 was closed from an accident. Then, while being re-routed in rural West Virginia, we drove through serious road-closing torrential downpours… it was NUTS! Welcome to our family Yuri, haha, by this time she has lived with us for three months, and frankly, she probably expected “the adventure.”
We did finally arrive, and it was, for each of us, one of the BEST weekends of our life! It was a true slice of heaven. Most of the children hadn’t ever met (there were 19 in all), and they all meshed into a colorful tapestry of love. Us, old-head friends, embraced this time as though we were back from a quick weekend at home, like the good ‘ole college days. It was sooooo special. With all this precious goodness, there were more gifts in store. Unspeakable gifts, with all seriousness. (Kara, unspeakable, nooooo way, but yes!) I’ll say again, what a good good God and Father we have!
Amy, the one who initiated this camping steal-away, is a close sister saint of mine <3 She and her husband are friends who dated while Ryan and I dated. They married, we married. With this history together there is a special connection and a great respect for each other and our journeys. Amy knows part of the struggles and heartache we’ve had within our marriage and she has always been a gift of encouragement to me. Like me, she purposes to be Jesus’s light, to all who meet her. She can do this because she lives, LOVED! She and I were having a conversation, late our first night together, with the glow from the campfire being the only light there was. She informed me she was headed to Israel! I knew this trip is quite a personal leap for her, as a mother of yet young ones. My elation for her was obvious. She told me about how she was tempted to not even go, because this or that…and there I was, gawking and gasping, “You’re kidding me!” She continued to tell me how it became completely clear to her, that she IS to go. Turns out her entire trip was already paid for, without her asking! At that point, my eyes filled with tears because I know that sweet, special, provisional gift that can happen. I was so excited for her to have this opportunity. Then she paused, and posed the question… Kara, you should come with me? My tears are fuller at this point because, of course I’d l o v e to have that same opportunity. BUT… There is always a “BUT.”
But, is there?