simple.

This summer, we had ONE weekend together as a family NOT speaking.  And this weekend was it!

And it was GREAT.  

The White Family has been camping with the Miller Family since we were kids, and each year it's just more fun as we've become the White/Miller/Northam/Sedunov/Ayars family!

It was pointed out that we really shouldn't like camping, because let's face it, life in Haiti IS a bit like camping a lot of the time!  (though the spiders of Pennsylvania have nothing on Haiti :)

But this is what we love: no phones, no computers, no emails, no schedule, no "plan", no dishes, no laundry, no house to clean up, low cost, low stress, no bath time (well, the girls love that), and great, relaxing down-time with friends, friends who can't get away from you, even if they want to :)

Doesn't matter what you look like.  Doesn't matter when you do what.  Everything you "need" is right there, which you quickly remember, in the middle of the woods, is very little.

This weekend, it ended about all we needed was a hammock, marshmallows, and TIME.

 We ate lots of great things (nothing better than pudgy pies and coal-roasted potatoes and corn!)...

had lots of great talks around the fire... 

 some good time hiking...

 lots of PERFECT weather...

 great time on the lake...

 good time with the girls and family...

 and lots of laughs.

Lily must have said 12 times, "Is camping GREAT, or WHAT!!"

Lily made a special friend in first-timer John, the only person who would sword fight flaming sticks with her, a sport she was very excited about as long as she had her "safety snorkel."

This morning some of Dad's family (one of them being his namesake, Malcolm) stopped by for a few minutes on their way through to New Jersey, and didn't even mind standing close enough to smell us :)

 Between finding lots of marshmallows, getting to sleep with four people to climb on, and being allowed to get good and dirty, Sofie was in heaven!

Really thankful for the weekend off and away, thankful for the way He continues to be leading, peacen-ing, guiding, strengthening, renewing and restoring us, and thankful for friends and family you can be dirty, smelly, laid-back and yourself with!

the journey

Since we strongly believe that it's not just about the destination, but also how you get there (or as Matt's always saying, "the process has to be as glorifying as the outcome"), we always try to make some memories along the way!

We have safely arrived in Delaware after a super-long road, but were blessed by great time with family the past two days! (like Matt's Dora purse?)

First, we were SO excited to spend some good time with Dodo and Bubba.  (The fantastic couple who lived next door to us in a Haiti a few months a year for the past two years to help us!)  They drove down from Canada, and we met them in Pittsburgh.  

Lily had informed me that she planned to be quite shy, (Mommm!  It's how God MADE me!) , but the instant she saw Dodo across the lobby, she forgot all about that and charged into the arms of her terribly missed friend.  There were tears all around, and it was just so good to be back together!

"Doe" swam with the girls while we all caught up a bit, and they treated us to Max and Erma's and then we got to have breakfast together again this morning.  

It's hard to explain, but it's always relaxing to be with people who have lived in Haiti.  As Dorothy explained it, it's like 90% of people think you have rocks in your head for living in Haiti, so when you're with other people who have rocks in THEIR heads, you feel at home :)  

We also realized that for all the living together we have done, we've never actually seen each other outSIDE of Haiti, so all those sweltering nights we've shared eating rice and beans together and day-dreaming about ice cream and potato skins finally came true together these past few days...very fun!

John and Dorothy, thank you SO much for traveling internationally to see us yet again :), for a great time together, for the rocks in your head, and most, for loving us like you do.  (we don't get it.  that's ok.)

We ALSO got to spend some good time with my grandparents, whom the girls just truly adore.  Sofie is finally warming up, and there is just nothing Lily loves like a ride with grandpa (faster, grandpa, faster!) and a walk with grandma to feed the fish.

Sofie finally got to ride too, but was quickly booted off for pushing all the buttons and continually powering the chair down mid-motion.  

So thankful for this good time with my mom's parents, who still spoil us (as grandparent's should!) and who love our girls...the only thing better than getting love from your grandparents is watching them give it to your children.

 Finally, did I mention that Matt FOUND my lost (under the van seat) camera from our camping trip!  Yay!  Here's a few...

Sofie decided she liked any activity that largely consisted of playing in the dirt, and after the huge storm...the mud.  She is SUCH a tomboy. 

Lily also had WAY more fun than we had expected, and decided she doesn't mind not being a princess for certain periods of time.  I guess she does live in Haiti, which is, frankly, a lot like camping all the time.

Matt and Adam soaked up the chance to do lots of manly things, like chopping things, burning things, and building things.

And finally, here's that, Diving-In-The-Tent-In-The-Middle-Of-A-Major-Storm-Is-So-Funny family picture I was so lamenting having lost!

Love my little family!  I know that one day I will look back on these days and just miss them terribly.  

Despite being tired about 99% of the time, all of the "why's?" and "are we there yets?", all the trips to the bathroom--always RIGHT when the food is served, sticky fruit snacks buried in my purse (bottomless pit), incessant teething, insanely dirty diapers, outfit changes every time Lily gets so much as ONE DROP of water on her, constant "Mama"s and never ending laundry, I'm trying to remember that!  

I'm so incredibly blessed to have two happy, healthy little girls and a fantastic husband, all three who love me...rough edges and all.

Praise the Lord for family...the family we were born with and the family that's been adopted along the journey!

camping!

We're back from quite the adventure camping!

We definitely are making this an annual tradition!  


Highlights:
      - the girls LOVED it and were happy the entire weekend
      - unlimited toasted marshmallows
      - we had a blast with Lisa and Adam
      - we had a gorgeous hike today at Old Man's Cave
      - our new tent proved to truly be water proof
      - there was a pool nearby which got us through the 100 degree weather
      - the rain cooled things down for sleeping
      - we had a GREAT secluded camp site
      - when the entire community lost electricity and water, we were already prepared
      - we haven't laughed so hard in a long time!
      - Lisa captured the most adorable picture of our little family right after diving into the tent in the pouring rain

Not-so-highlights:
      - a rascal rat-coon woke us up at three am by opening and closing our cooler, rooting around, and stealing eggs and pepperoni, closing it in between each bite to keep his snack extra cool
      - the huge storm which knocked over trees around us and has left the entire county and all surrounding counties (even still) was more than a bit intimidating!
      - our camping friends who were supposed to meet us couldn't find us, there was no signal to call us, and there was no electricity for the rangers to find our reservation...so they were warm in their beds last night, but quite missed!
      - my dad wasn't able to make it, and was sorely missed
      - the broasted chicken place we always go to after camping was closed due to not having power (I know...we suffered :)
      - my camera was somehow lost on today's hiking trail and never found, and I am just devastated sick over losing that picture :(

SO glad we went, so fun to do something so different from the norm, so great to do something new with the girls that brought out little bits of their personalities that we don't always get to see, and very grateful to have these few days for a bit of "family vacation" before we get back to traveling and speaking and heading back to Haiti in just a few weeks now!

scatterings...

Things are a little scattered right now, so this will be, too!

1)  There are so many "rat-coons" at grandpa's house right now that if we leave the garage door open for an hour, we've got families of raccoons digging through the trash.  Lily loves them.  Everyone else, not so much.  

2) I'm sure it's been super hot wherever you are, too!  As uncomfortable as that is for everyone (well, we feel quiet at home, I must say :), it's been downright devastating for Uncle Adam and Aunt Lisa's hometown of Denver.  This week has been full of lots of prayers and lots of checking up with their friends and family, some forced to flee their homes.  We're thankful to have them here in Ohio for the week, and spent the 100 degree day yesterday at the pool!

3) Today, we are attempting a major first in camping!  We haven't been in years, and it'll be Lily and Sofie's first time.  Lily saw it on a Curious George episode a few months ago and has been SO anxious to have a go.  

Aunt Sharon and Uncle Martin's camper rather shifted her visions of what this is going to be like, but we've told her ten times this will be TENT camping, and once she got through the disappointment of not having a "kid shower" and a "kid oven", she got excited again!  

We're only attempting one night this first time (Friday night), and we'll see how it goes :)

4) Matt had the chance today to talk to all kinds of friends from home.  Maxi, Abel, Gertha, Noel, baby Thalia, their families...everyone is well.  We couldn't reach Micheline or Junior, but everyone wanted to know all they could about the girls and it was fabulous to catch up!  Every time we think about it too much, we are just sick for home...just keep moving!

5) We are less than a week away from leaving for the East Coast for Phase 2 of our speaking this summer!  We're looking forward to being with you, PA, NJ and DE!