I think sleeping in a tent is my least favorite part of camping. I woke up to find that Aaron had taken the dogs out hiking and left me with the kids. Ohhhh okay. The thing about sleeping in a tent is that you feel quite cold at night and then by the time the sun has been up for a couple of hours in the morning, it is very toasty. So, we were all sweaty and I was a bit cranky.

But, we managed to get up and find the bathrooms and the playground.

Aaron had planned a hike for us. It was not our best.

But, we did hike to a cave, saw lizards, a huge snake and horses.

The kid really wanted to go swimming again, but after the hike and lunch, they were pretty exhausted. We decided instead to drive back towards home and then stop at a lake closer to our house for swimming. It was nearly dinner time before we got back, so we didn’t stay long. But, we still had enough time for finding shells, seeing “connected” dragon flies and almost taking a second nap.

Back home, back to another week. But glad for a fun weekend of camping!

We had dinner in the dark and then we said goodnight to Aaron, Gus and the dogs. I wanted to go out and take photos of the stars and I asked Reed and Lena if they’d like to go. I got two very enthusiastic yeses.

We went on a little walk to get to where I wanted to take photos. We took some test shots, and I got everything set up for star trails. Star trails require an exposure of at least 30 minutes or at least 30 minutes worth of multiple exposures edited together. So, this was going to take awhile.

The three of us just saw down in the grass and talked.

I asked them what they had questions about. Fascinated with the Big Dipper, the questions began. “Are all dippers the same?” “What if the dippers were connected, would that look funny?” “Are all dippers in the same place or are they all over?” No matter how many times I told them that it was just the Big Dipper and the Little Dipper and even pointed them out, the questions went on and on. Eventually, I successfully changed the subject.

Instead, we talked about our host girl. We talked about our favorite things about everyone in our family. We talked about school. We talked about what I can do better as a mom. How even grown ups make mistakes. We talked about so much. There is something about being in the dark that makes everything come out. It was really good and I think we all walked away more connected.

I chose the option of many 20 second exposures, and was able to put this together from our time talking. 128 20-second exposures.

They really wanted to take some photos with a flashlight, so we did that before heading back to our tent. I was really glad that we got that time together.

I ended up staying up for awhile after returning them to the tent. Just looking at the stars and taking some shots. It is such a wonderful thing to just look up at the stars and pray. It was a really great night.

We went camping last weekend. It was such a good time. I think we have have hit our groove camping. I have so much to share about it that I’m going to have to break it up into a few parts!

We went to Kanopolis State Park. It’s a couple of hours away from us. It’s a bit rocky that around here, with large rock formations. We’ve been there once before, I think our first winter in Kansas.

I had this idea that Aaron should just drop us off at the swimming beach at the lake and go hiking with the dogs.

It worked out really well. The kids were very excited to hit the sand and play in the water.

The whole idea of camping had stressed me out a bit, but there is something completely stress relieving about sitting on a beach, watching my kids play happily and knowing my husband is off hiking, doing something he loves, too.

My kids didn’t care that it was just a lake beach, or that the water was dark or any of that. They were just happy.

Reed was actually really fascinated by all of the different grains in the sand.

Lena came over to show me her “one eye closed”. I was worried she had gotten sand in it, but then she burst out laughing.

Gus spent most of his time “tryin a skip a rock”.

He continues to be more of a little kid and less of a baby every day.

They grabbed towels and just stretched out, too. Until Aaron came back and asked who’d like to help him set up the tent. Two yeses and one no.

My big kids left me and I got the little dude.

We just goofed off.

He chased me around trying to get me with his sandy hands.

He laid down and studied the sky.

I love times like these, when we are just together.

We stayed until the sun set, and then we headed off to find our tent and have dinner. I love this kid and I’m so glad for our time together!

Another month is over. Whew. I’ll say that I think the month ended on a high note, but I also think it was a good month. A lot of wonderful things happened. It felt like a great month for photography. I’ve grown a ton since I started the 365. I recently ordered some prints for my kids for their rooms. We are doing some room swapping for hosting and as a surprise, I’m going to add some new photos in their rooms. I haven’t printed photos for them since Christmas and it was so hard just to pick the ones that I thought they’d like the most. From pumpkins and costumes, to sledding and snow, to flowers blooming and our first camping trip of the year, I’ve captured a lot. And, the year isn’t up yet!

So, did I complete my May “Must Capture” list?

End of the School Year

Yup.

Start of Summer Fun

Yes.

May flowers

And, that’s covered, too.

Another month to cross off the list, just 4 more to go!

June Must Capture List:

• Family reunion #1
• Preparations for L’s arrival
• L’s arrival!!!
• Time with cousins

I recently noticed Gus laying on my bed, ready for bedtime and waiting for his siblings to finish getting ready. A somewhat common occurrence, but seeing him in a pair of monkey pajamas gave me a flashback.

When I came in, he just giggled and asked me to tickle him. No big deal, right?

Well, I think many adoptive parents would agree that the hardest time is bedtime. Actually, I think most parents would agree on that, too, but having children who have been in an orphanage, where bedtime meant changing caregivers or not enough people to sooth them to sleep or who knows what else, bedtime is an extra challenge. It’s a time of vulnerability. Instead of the sweet vulnerability you often see in kids who have been nurtured their entire lives, rage and fear often take its place.

I’m pretty familiar with these emotions.

But, do you see that?

Almost two years of difference. Two years of healing and trust being built up.

Love wins.