4th Grade Overnight Campout

One of the highlights of 4th grade is learning what life was like in California during the gold rush days. So each year the 4th grade classes get to live like, eat like, and pan for gold in the river just like the gold miners did in 1849. The camp is run by dedicated young adults that dress up and play the parts of a miner's family. They stay in character the entire time. Parents are asked to attend this trip for supervision and help with participating events. I was not breathing very good after having some tests done so my husband took the twins and off they went in a caravan of cars up to the gold rush city near Placerville. They pitched a tent and began their exploration of an old working mine.

After work I decided that I would go home get my blanket and pillow and drive up to the camp. In my hasty decision I forgot to bring a charger for my phone. The directions I had were sketchy at best (no exact address) doesn't quite make the navigation system work very well. I had been there 14 years ago with my older daughter so I thought if I could get there before dark I could figure it out. Let's just say that plan didn't work out so well and there I was in the dark traveling on a 2 lane small winding road heading deeper into a wooded forest. My cell phone was flashing low battery and Robert was not answering his phone (they discouraged parents from using their phones as they didn't have them in 1849).

Rob saw that he had a missed call so he called me back, thank God! I had already turned around and was heading back towards the freeway. He was able to connect me to a young woman speaking with a manufactured southern drawl every few words. She told me to turn back around and continue farther on that road until I crossed a river and passed a stone and look for an unmarked dirt road/driveway. Trusting that God really had his hand on this adventure I made my way there. The kids were gathered around the campfire listening to a miner's story.

After the story we walked back to what looked like a compound tent city (everyone brought their own tents) and settled in for the night. I slept on a rock the whole night and wished I had an air mattress but oh well....I was right where I wanted to be with my husband and kids sharing a wonderful history adventure together.

The next day we made candles, churned cream into butter, pounded wheat in the rocks and then made it into dough for cooking. The kids also learned how to use a well to get water. For fun the kids learned how to square dance while someone played a fiddle. They also had a tug-of-war rope contest, parents vs. kids. Kids won! What a great way to live and learn history.

Pressing On

So glad April is behind us. Although Spring vacation was amazing, we had a wonderful time exploring England's countryside, the city of London and I did co-write a book with my youngest daughter about our travels there, but the return home and reality that we were about to face derailed me.

A dear friend aka self-adopted mom, was diagnosed out of the blue with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia. She is a healthy active wife, mother, grandmother and business owner, no one saw this coming. Even with my medical background, sitting in the consultation, it was as if we were hearing a foreign language. How could this be? The elephant was now in the room. She would need to begin Chemotherapy the following week.

I have never been this close to someone having this type of diagnosis. I felt helpless and scared. Prior to checking into the hospital for her induction treatment, about 20 of us gathered around her in her home, held hands and participated in an Anointing Prayer. As I prayed and cried I still felt that ever present question why??? Why her? Why can't this horrible disease go to criminals and drug dealers? Why does it have to happen to her? My only answer is that it's in God's hands. He is still God and He will still be with us as we walk through this darkness.

My faith is not negotiable, it is real and I have seen and experienced the power of prayer. This would be no different. So as we dried our eyes, we pressed on to the next step. More Bone Marrow Tests, P.I.C.C. line, Chemotherapy and blood draws. With her husband never leaving her side, I witnessed the beauty of a 43 year marriage transition into the part of wedding vows, "in sickness and in health." The love between them in that room could have lit up a mountain side. I spent many hours at the hospital keeping my game face on, then I would leave and walk to my car and sit in the parking lot immobilized with tears pouring down my face.

I decorated her room at the hospital with "girly style" and the cards poured in. The nurses often said that she was ahead of the game because of how much love was in that room, on the walls and through the computer (webcam). I felt so bad for the people who have to go through this alone. The prayers continued and blessings in the midst of this darkness were becoming apparent. After 2 weeks of treatment and being told this first round would keep her in the hospital for one month, they were letting her go home 2 days before Mother's Day. Praise God! For you see, her daughter had given birth to another grandson last week and she longed to be with her.

Prayer is powerful and although it didn't remove the diagnosis it did provide a miracle. The doctors came in and said she could go home, that her cell counts were good and that she could continue with out-patient treatment. We'll take that!!