windy gap weekend

Curtis and I love Windy Gap, Young Life's camp in the mountains of NC. It is beautiful, cozy, super-fun, and full of memories for both of us. For that reason, we were so honored and excited when Curtis' cousin and her husband asked if we would come help out with their city's weekend. So, after a quick and just-because trip to Knoxville (just the kids and me), we met up with Curtis in Weaverville for a non-stop and exhaustingly wonderful weekend.

 The great thing about our job/role for the weekend was that Curtis and I were able to not only serve together but also to enjoy time with our little family. 

 And how can you not enjoy that smile?

 

We enjoyed the gorgeous, chilly October weather with a few walks around camp (with our very authoritative walkie-talkies clipped on behind us). 

 Cooper pushed...

 ...while Annabelle chilled. 

 These boys felt right at home. 

 Cooper loved the adventure of the camp/giant playground. We even took a trip down to the horse corral!

 Cooper was about the same size as their heads. Surprisingly, he wasn't too intimidated!

Wild at Heart, right?

Scott and Susan (our cousins) provided an incredible babysitter, Jess, for the kids. While Curtis and I were heading up a leader meeting or "sweeping" through cabins looking for campers, she was entertaining and taking great care of Cooper and Annabelle. This is sadly the only picture that we have of her (she's the girl on the left)!

 Cooper especially loved getting to hang out in back of the club room (where the big group meetings happened). He was enthralled with the "silly mans" (guys who put on funny skits).

Side note: the "silly mans" often wore costumes featuring bleach blond mullet wigs. Several weeks later, while at Chick-fil-a, Cooper suddenly points his whole arm and yells out, "LOOK MOM! The silly man!!" I turned to see to whom he was pointing and then wheeled around as quickly as I could to shut him up. It was a woman. (In Cooper's defense, she was sporting a pretty intense bleach blond mullet hairstyle!) :)

I often joke that the main thing I miss about being on YL staff is having summer assignments (a month each year spent working at a YL camp). I really do wish that somehow our kids could grow up running around camp each summer as Curtis did.... exploring the outdoors, interacting with crazy teenagers, being loved on by staff-people from around the country, and experiencing Jesus. What a gift! Having the privilege of seeing our kids in that environment for even a few days truly blessed me. As did seeing Cooper's plumber crack. Ha!