Cousins Camp 2012!!!

Guest blogger: Debbie Stamps

East Texas, here we come!  Abby, Charlie, Reese, Landry, MawMaw & Poppa headed out for 2012 Cousins Camp at Uncle Mike & Aunt Mary’s farm.  They were kind to let us stay there while they were out of town.  We drove off to the music of our Cousins Camp CD.  

The next 3 days were spent mostly outdoors—there was way too much to do to go inside!  One of our first activities was riding in the “Mule” (the Kawasaki ATV) to go fishing in the stock tanks.  According to Cousins Camp traditions, the cousins got to drive through the pastures.   Reese started us off in the fishing, catching the first one.  He ended up with a couple, Landry with a couple & MawMaw got one.  Abby & Charlie were great sports & encouragers--& did some really good casting themselves!  Poppa was kind enough to keep us all “lured” & “baited” & added in some boating.  MawMaw’s favorite fishing spot was sitting at the end of a cane pole with a dead grasshopper that no fish would want on her hook! Everybody fished some from the shore & also from the row boat.   We also all took our guns so we also got to shoot.  We’re always impressed with their aim!

Uncle Mike & Aunt Mary have a great garden each year.  We got to pick the garden & bring it all home—at least a bushel of green beans, some onions, squash & cucumbers!  There’s also a sand pile in the back yard where we suspect cousin Wes had dug a hole.  The cousins had lots of fun digging—trying to turn it into a cellar—complete with steps!  Another day or 2 & they might have made it!

One back-at-the-house activity was clock making.  Everyone got to design & paint his own.

We enjoyed our devotional times each day, complete with missionary stories.  One day we compared sharing our faith with gardening—some preparing the ground, planting, watering, picking.  We saw that Jesus Himself teams with us & fills those roles too—sometimes in miraculous ways!  Another day we compared fishing to the way satan tempts us & each told which kind of bait satan might choose if he was tempting us to sin.  He tries to get us to fall for substitutes for the better things God has for us.  Poppa led our worship time on Sunday.  Each of the cousins had prepared a part—the prayer time, music & reading the Scriptures & Poppa taught us what Jesus says it really means to be great.  MawMaw & Poppa really enjoy seeing the spiritual growth in each of the cousins in the things they share & what they pray for.  Those are extra special blessings!

One day we went to the East Texas Gator farm in Grand Saline.  It was really neat.  We got there just as they were fixing to feed the gators so we got to watch.  The owner fed them brisket!  They also have lots of different kinds of animals for seeing & petting.  The people who worked there were really great to teach us about the animals, as well as let us hold & pet them.  A deer ate part of Abby’s scavenger hunt paper!  Favorites were snakes, baby raccoons & a couple of kittens that were running around!  

We took the Mule into the pasture at night & tried to call up some coyotes with our coyote call but didn’t get any.  However, we really enjoyed the bright moon & all the stars!  

One highlight was making a video of a silly song Poppa had picked out.  It’s about a Silly Jester.  The thing is, it requires 4 silly characters.  Fortunately we had the right cousins to fill each of the roles!  We laughed so much as we made & finally watched our video.  Our thanks to Poppa for sitting up into the wee hours editing it so we could see it the next morning!  

We had another wonderful camp!   MawMaw & Poppa are so thankful for & grateful to Abby, Charlie, Reese & Landry.  They are all so much fun.  We enjoyed talking about important life stuff, laughing, being really crazy together--& a great attitude from each one!  Thanks, Moms & Dads, for sharing your kiddoes with us for a few days!  What a treasure!  (Colson, you’ll be up soon!  Get ready! )