August 13 – “Of course we HAD to …”

And the final day (sort of) of Cousin Camp 2019 is upon us.  Yesterday we set out on the journey to deliver Zak and Caleb back home to Waco.  Of course that meant we HAD to stay the night (or maybe two) to let Luke and AnnaGrace be a part of the camp experience.  Besides, we had their camp t-shirts to present to them.  So … today’s edition of Blog 2019 comes to you live and in person from here in Waco.

The drive yesterday was really peaceful. At least it was for me.  I don’t remember Houston at all.  I did wake up at Buc-ees.  Of course I HAD to be awake for the Buc-ees stop.  It’s tradition.  Besides, it was also lunch.  I had an overly healthy BLT with cheese and two extra strips of bacon.  That’s a lotta bacon.  Good stuff.  The boys both had chicken strips.  Chris had a chicken salad wrap.  And of course we HAD to top it off with their traditional chocolate chunk cookies.  Chris and I split one.  Caleb had two.  Hey, it was his last chance to pork out on sweets before Mom took over the reins. 

Speaking of Mom, she seemed pretty happy to see her two missing boys.  She met them at the door, and we didn’t even have to text her to let her know we were there.  Luke was excited to see them, too, but I think AnnaGrace was the most elated that her two oldest bros were back in town. 

For the first couple of hours, Zak and Caleb just re-acclimated to the home environment.  I played games with Luke and Chris and I both watched AnnaGrace flit from brother to brother to Nani and back again to Mom.  Very cute. 

When Josh got home from work we had some supper and then brought out our souvenirs from Alaska.  Chris immediately got excited all over again and began her explanatory commentary on everything.  Of course that meant we HAD to get out our pictures (all 2600+ of them).  We didn’t finish looking at them all.  Just got through the first week – the land tour – when we realized it was almost ten-o’clock.  That’s bed-time around here for the young ones.  Fits in pretty well with what my body tells me every day.  Guess that means we’ll just HAVE to set up again tonight and finish out the trip.  Josh wants to see the whales …

Hosea 3:23 says, “I will sow her for Myself in the land.  I will also have compassion on her who had not obtained compassion, and I will say to those who were not my people, ‘You are my people!’  And they will say, ‘You are my God!’”

Father, thank you for all these HAD-TO’s.  Sure makes it fun when the HAD-TO’s match up with the WANT-TO’s.   Amen.