Sunday with Cousins

Today was the beginning of Family Camp at Wesley Acres. Gary was the preacher for the morning service. I told Kevin we would be going to church at camp in a tent. He was mind-boggled! He could NOT figure out how we could have church in a tent!

We arrived an hour early for church and took Kevin on a brief tour of the grounds. We showed him his great grandparents' trailer where they spent their summers for many years, and our family stayed there as well several times.

We found the street named after his Great Uncle Gary.

And we showed him the camp swimming hole.

And we told him stories about his Mommy and Uncle Greg going to camp here. Mommy Karin rode a horse at this camp which took her under a tree high enough for the horse's head but not high enough for Karin's head! She grabbed the branch to protect herself, and the horse left her hanging on the branch!!!! LOL Karin did NOT find that an amusing story! Next year, Kevin will be old enough to go to camp here! We will do our best to make sure that happens!

The children were with us through the song service. Kevin sat behind Seamus and Georgia. A lot of kibitzing was going on.

Before Gary's wonderful sermon on prayer, the children left for their churchtime program in another building. Anna stayed with them as there were hundreds of kids and it seemed not enough adults. After the service, I joined them to bring them back. This is how the kids walked!!!

Is that sweet or what??!!!

John, Ellen, and James chatting with others after church.

One of the blessings of Wesley Acres is seeing oldtime friends of the Walsh family. Grant and I had not been on the grounds in probably six years when we were debating about buying a trailer for ourselves to share with Grant's siblings. The deal didn't work out, and I somewhat regret it did not. We saw several people today from our past. One elderly man called out as we walked near him in his golf cart, "Hey, Grant! Is that you?!"

The cousins all in pink plus Kevin in red: Liam, Lillian, Natasha, Duncan, Kevin.

We were under the impression that everyone was going their separate way after church, and that we would be heading for home. Kevin was quite upset about that! Then we discovered, everyone was invited back to Gary and Ellen's for lunch. Kevin was on cloud nine!

On the way, we passed the cemetery where Grant's parents are buried. We stopped to show Kevin his great grandparents' grave, plus we pointed out friends' tombstones nearby.

He and Seamus were back in their dirt pile quickly!


We were the first to leave as we dreaded the cottage traffic headed back to Toronto on this holiday weekend. Kevin was VERY upset. But I told him later how proud I was of him and that he has matured a great deal in a year. Six months ago, under similar circumstances, he would have had a meltdown. He was not happy, but he was not even close to a meltdown.