is a dream still a dream when you own it? And happy birthday dear Jonny...!

I'm gonna say yes.  Yes it is.  I am as happy as can be with the new camper.  It's clean and nice and everything I wanted.  

Paul, happier than I thought he would be...he bought this for me, because he is nice and kind and good, and he knew I wanted one.  He's rather indifferent, when I asked him if he'd rather have a boat, he shrugged, then clarified that no, a camper is fine...but I know he's fibbing a little.  He was actually somewhat excited when we went to pick it up.  The hitch on his truck fit fine, but we still need to buy a weight distribution hitch.  It is light, but it does blow around.

Sunny was excited too.

 Would you be surprised if I wanted to paint the inside?  I am not painting the cabinets though, there's a certain camper make-over look that I actually don't like, I mean, it's a camper, it is not a farmhouse.  But, I would like to paint the inside walls white instead of the dreary beige, and take down the dreadful windows cornices.  The dinette seat covers would be nice to cover too, but we'll see.  

And:  Happy birthday to my dear Jonathan Robert.  He is twenty years old!  How can that possibly be?  I only have two teenagers left!  Sweet Jon has been a blessing every single day of his life.  He's funny and smart and hard working, responsible, honest...he's not home today, because he's in Mexico, visiting a church there and actually helping them build.  

(these are the kids who still live at home...)

In Norway with Camille (Jon), Kathryn, Sonja, Charlotte Claire

Yes, I think Jonathan is a fantastic boy, but he knows full well that it isn't what others think of him, it's having God's good pleasure over him that's all that matters.  When we're faithful in the little things, in the hidden, obedient to those little promptings from God, then life is good.  Being with Jon is very encouraging, but he's tons of fun too.

I've been lazy this morning.  I have so many things to do I cannot even shake a stick at them, but I will get up and begin, because that's how it works.  I need to bake cupcakes for Activity Club, as we're celebrating a birthday.  I need to finish cleaning my room.  I cleaned out my dresser in a radical way, on Sunday, and and still have some things to finish up.  The floors need vacuuming and all the usual maintenance stuff, and and and.  I have plants that need repotting, and outdoor puttering that is calling me, as it's beautiful out.  I want to get into the camper, yes I have already been in there this morning, and assess things, just sit in there and pinch myself.  

It's not just a hunk of materials, that camper.  It's going to be a place of coziness.  It'll take some of the physical discomfort that tenting abounds in, and make being away more comfortable.  I know it'll be work to maintain it, but setting up the tent and getting down to sleep on those air mattresses, ugh.  We can store some things in there too, so it won't be packing every single spatula and frying pan each time we go.  The weight capacity isn't much, but we can still keep some things in there, like baggies and paper towels and plastic wrap, foil, matches, candles, insect repellent, a few wash cloths and hand towels, soap, toothpaste.  

Oh well...time to move it move it...oh, one more thing:  I had dreams about my mother last night.  She loved camping so much.  My parents had a little 17 foot Bonanza camper when we were growing up, before we bought our camp.  (They let our neighbors borrow it while they built a new house, and those neighbors never gave it back!)(Can you imagine, even asking, to borrow someone's camper to live in while you built a house?  My parents were way too nice...to put it nicely)

Anyway, my mother was in her happy place when we were camping.  In my dream, she came over to see the new Jayco, and loved it.  It was SO real.  I miss her so very much.  :)