Our Visitors!

Purdy is a long way away from anywhere and everywhere! To think we had several people that came such a long way to see our family makes me almost want to cry. It was so great to have visitors!
Our dear friends the Kilbournes came out and we had a blast. It was a quick two days but the highlight was probably all the time spent at the barn with the horses and animals and the pool and water slides. Madie, Jenna, Natalie and our family had many laughs!
Jason's parents came for a night and had a lovely dining hall dinner with us and then were able to go on a float trip with the kids and Jason (unfortunately I had to work). They then took us to our favorite Chinese restaurant in Monett LeiLei's. It was a quick thirty six hours or so but the kids were super pumped to see them.
Next my lifelong best friend Stacy (who is also Jackson's godmother) drove all the way from Dallas (yes Dallas) to visit us in Purdy. She was amazing and was the cutest Texan Purdy has ever seen for sure. We watched opening day camper arrival, had some fun meals, got to go to Springfield to see our house and a fun lunch, and had a fabulous float trip. Stacy has always had the most generous heart and just loves my kids so much. Mollie Jane just fell in love with her as they both slept in the "owl beds." Jackson now refers to her as "Mama Stacy" probably because he knows she adores him just about as much as I do. Really, I couldn't ask for a sweeter friend.
Then "our Blair" came from Kansas City and she literally took time off her job to come see our family. It was heaven. We got to do two float trips, many lovely dining hall meals, and many late night talks. Blair's parents Larry and Sherry, who are literally like grandparents to my kids also came out for a meal and float trip while Blair was there. We had so much fun. The thing we love about Blair is that she literally is like a member of our family. I swear my kids think we are related.
Then our sweet friends the Vance's came up from Springfield with their three children (which is no small feat). They spent the afternoon and evening. It was very quick but I loved every minute of it. We went on a float trip, had a picnic dinner on the front lawn, and let the kids get some good play time and the parents some good talk time. Having them there did make me a little homesick for Springfield, I must admit. It was just great having visitors in Purdy this summer. I tell people that being at Camp Barnabas gave me the same feeling that I had growing up going to Kanakuk for a month. I would go there and have this wonderful experience and meet these amazing people and then come home to my "normal life" but no one in my "normal life" never really knew what it was like to be at Kanakuk, what it looked like, or who all those special people that I met were. So I am so thankful for all our summer visitors cauz know I feel like they really understand Camp Barnabas and how it is such a fun big part of my life now! So if you didn't make it out this summer you are missing out and really need to come next year! We love visitors!