First things first, we get to the camp and start setting up everything - you know the tent, the chairs, all our clothes, yada yada yada. Me being the spoiled daddy's girl that I am, literally sat on the picnic table at our campsite and watched Jonathan rake the rocks and acorns out, Jonathan and my dad drag out the tent, and the two of them unpack the truck! I did help Jonathan put up the tent .. AND .. unpacked all the stuff inside the tent and set up the pallets for us all to sleep in! I'm not kidding, it looked like the redneck Holiday Inn! (: But then what do you do for the rest of the day?! Well, on a normal family trip, we'd go fishing or hiking or do something together, but since Jonathan had to do this, that, and the other with scouts we just stayed around the campsite. So, I proceeded to lay on the dock (and get more sun than I've gotten all summer mind you!), read a little, write a little, find some nature trails..you know the works! It was fun, it was relaxing, but to be real - made me miss Danny a whole hell of a lot! That much "me-time" had my mind racing! Nighttime was by far the worse part because A) it was freezing! and B) the one person who I want to warm me up is halfway around the world! Not that my dad would've let Danny stay in our tent, more less sleep with me - but one can dream right?! And for the record, super cold and deployment insomnia DO NOT MIX WELL! I literally didn't fall asleep until after midnight (not too bad for a night at home, but hella late for camping trips) and woke up before 4am!! To say I didn't sleep well would be an understatement!
I had big plans of getting up early Saturday to watch the sunrise and the scouts raise the flag, but it was just so dang cold I didn't move for a good LONG minute. I probably spent an hour staring at the ant crawling on the outside of the tent! When I did get up though, I got straight to work! Mr. Stacey was cooking breakfast (a mountain man - which is like sausage, eggs, cheese, with a biscuit baked on top) I put cinamon buns in the "oven" and started chopping onions and peppers and mushrooms and tomatoes in prep for the fajitas we were having for supper! Then, me and Ms. Kim stuffed Halloween bags and then we made brownies for the Pack Lunch. Then I turned into a complete boy working on the catapult for the pumpkin chunkin. It was actually really fun, even though we didn't have enough weight to chunk the bowling balls. But the boys seem to have a blast!
Saturday was also filled with a lot of militant type events. Not really, but it was really organized and patriotic and I thought of no one other than Danny throughout it all! They had a ceremony to lower the flag and then had a ceremony after dark to retire flags! I literally cried through the later because they spoke about all the men and women who died in battle and then started listing out the all the battles we've fought in - a girl can't hold it in forever! I was literally in a funk the rest of the night! Paula (her husband is a contractor in Afghanistan right now) started random conversations with me about Danny and his (our?!) plans after he gets home! This might sound a little weird, but I don't actually like bringing Danny up when he's deployed - just because it makes me really sad and I start thinking about where he is! Its really difficult for me so I just keep it all to myself! BUT .. if you ask about him and get me talking about him, I can chat your ear off about what an amazing man he is, and how strong he is, and how perfect I think he is, and about how he's trying to do this and that when he gets home. Once I start talking, I can't stop and while I'm talking about him I'm a bit calmer! It's the after effect that kills me! lol.
I didn't stay Saturday night because I needed to be at church Sunday but more importantly because it was suppose to be COLDER! Georgia weather is seriously messed up! Like it is only October, it should not feel like its winter already!!
Funny stories and pictures will come soon!! I promise! (:
Until Next Time - stay safe, stay strong, keep your head up and keep pressing on
-V-
