Camp Life Update

I know I haven't written pretty much all summer, but here is my attempt to share what it's been like...

Living at a surf camp and running it takes a whole lot of patience when you have a toddler on your hands and when you are pregnant with your second. From the outside looking in, it's a pretty cool lifestyle to get away to the beach for the summers and live in a big beach house with a pool. But one might come to that conclusion too quickly before realizing we're also living with 16 teenagers and have 8 other college-aged peeps around at pretty much all times. Don't get me wrong, we have the most amazing staff this year who are all a joy to be around. But when it's THAT many people there usually isn't a moment of quiet, especially not when Ila is down for her nap in the afternoons or in bed by 8 p.m. It's a very interesting family dynamic to be living amongst so many people and yet still needing to function like a "normal" family sometimes. I'm pretty grumpy in the mornings and I try my best to conceal it, but it doesn't always happen. Sometimes I get pissed at Ross for something dumb and can't wait until later to tell him about it. And more often than not I am saying the most ridiculous words, singing the most ridiculous songs, and making the most horrific faces with Ila because that's just what I do. It's all out in the open here at surf camp when we don't really have our own space besides our bedrooms. 

 Thankfully Ila is absolutely loving it and never has a dull moment. She goes from one staff person to the next asking to play, calling them "my Coleman" or "my Hillary" and telling them how much she loves them. Sometimes I don't know how I feel about her pretending Hillary B. is mommy and Hilary W. is daddy, but then I see how happy she is and remember how tired I am and I'm okay with it. Ila has been saying the most hilarious things lately too. Travis is growing a mustache so Ila gave him the new nickname "Crusty" because of it. She has to be a part of every conversation and sometimes dominates them even if her contribution is something like "I like macaroni and cheese and that's silly!!" She calls all the campers "my campers" and address them as "camper." In the mornings the staff wake them up in some creative way like being cowboys and aliens or zombies, and Ila anticipates this moment like it's about to be Christmas. She will yell out "I HAVE AN IDEA!! Let's be T-rexes!!" Then when it's time to call up the campers to eat a meal she greets them all by dancing to whatever song is playing, (usually "Hungry Like the Wolf.") She'll pretend to be in charge too and say things like "come upstairs campers!" or "don't touch that yet!" Then whenever Ross is giving them some kind of instruction Ila will try to pipe in with her own by saying something like "get your boards and put them in the car!" or "go sit on the couches when you're done eating!" It usually doesn't apply either. She has become a very outgoing little girl this summer. 

And as for me, I really struggled with the adjustment in the beginning and still do at times, but after we hit the half-way mark everything becomes easier and it's been going by really fast. I've been trying to appreciate the good things about our summer lifestyle like not having to do dishes or cook very much, having the weekends to enjoy the beach, and getting to know some pretty awesome people who work for us. I've also enjoyed getting to take pictures in the mornings while Morgan or Hillary watched Ila and having the late afternoons to play with Ila by myself while everyone else is at the beach. It's so beautiful down here too. The sun sets right over the sound and we have the most amazing view. It's nice to have that at the end of a hectic day. Even though I complain a lot about missing my friends and feeling a bit isolated at times, and having to drive 5 hours each way to my Dr. appointments,  I'm learning to appreciate what God has given us and trust that it's His plan. It's easy for me to envy other friends' "normal" summer routines and just having a whole house to themselves and being able to cook what they want for dinner (wait, do I really envy that?) but without surf camp I imagine I might get a little bored anyway. At least that's what I tell myself.