Camp Riversong

I decided to take my own advice and I “unplugged” for 3 days (well, this is the end of the third day).  I wrote Friday’s LiveDifferent Challenge on Thursday and post-dated it, then shut the laptop and traveled to Camp Riversong…in our backyard.  We had the awesome privilege of having Aaron and Candi (the famous San Jose friends) come to visit us for the weekend, wanting to camp in our backyard.  Yeah, in the backyard.  When you live in a place like Riversong, with the river rushing just feet from your backdoor, and a swimming pool and croquet and a hot tub and badminton, people do crazy things like come camp in your backyard.  So, we found a tent at Fred Meyer for $20 and decided to camp with them.  Dutch slept inside in his crib, which worked fabulously since sharing a tent with a wild animal is not a recipe for sound sleep, and Jeff toted out the futon pad and our memory foam into the tent, so between that and our down comforter, we were comfy to say the least.  Camping was the perfect opportunity to be Unplugged because I didn’t even think about my computer all weekend.  We only checked the time to gage naps and feedings (they brought their 7-month-old daughter), and bedtime was determined by when it was too dark and cold to keep playing the Settlers of Catan in the yard by the campfire (yes, there’s a firepit too) eatint S’mores.  Wake up time was determined not by an alarm but by the rising sun or, as the case was this morning, the rain seeping into the tent and soaking my pillow (not everything about camping is fun).  We BBQd our meals, drank soda from the cooler, and ate Pringles, and spit BBQ sunflower seeds.  It was fabulous.

The only downside was the nagging nausea that is still accompanying the precious little grape-sized baby in my tummy.  It is terrifying how much food I can consume just in order to keep from being sick, and it’s a little scary that I’m only 8 weeks along and already showing.  But, what do you do?  It’s 8:30, and I just finished a mammoth bowl of Cheerios…maybe I’ll go get another one.

This weekend made me think about friends, and what makes great friends.  We not only were able to spend time with Aaron and Candi, but my brother and his wife, my precious Megan, Melea, and many other friends and family who came to celebrate the 4th of July.  So, tonight, I’m home from Camp Riversong (back inside in my own bed, although the down comforter is still really damp and my pillow’s still wet), and I’m reflecting on friends.  What makes, in my opinion, a great friend?

1. They let you be your true self, but they challenge you to be your best self.

2. You can eat junk food together.

3. You don’t compete with each other.

4. They truly want the very greatest blessings for you.

5. They rejoice when you rejoice and weep when you weep.

6. They don’t require any entertainment–they’re happy to just be.

7. They don’t get mad when you beat them at badminton.

8. They love and respect my parents and my family.

9. They’re real and honest.

10. They make me love God more. 

That’s a friend. And I’m so thankful to have friends like that.  Thanks Aaron & Candi, for coming and camping at Camp Riversong. Thanks, Megs, for taking your only day off studying to chill in Molalla and play Catan.  What a great Unplugged weekend. 

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PS For those of you who have read The Love Nest (top right under Featured Stories), be sure to read the comment from Lynn (on the left under comments).  It appears we weren’t the only ones who were a little grossed out by this supposed nest of love! 🙂