Mealtime prayers...

Miss Emma's prayer for lunch today:

Thank you God for this day, and thank you God for our toys, and thank you God for our new house, and thank you God for our bed, and thank you God for my ladder, and thank you God for our table, and thank you God for mommy and daddy and Caleb and Emma and the new baby, and thank you God for the trees and the sky, and thank you God for our paintings that we did today, and thank you God for our food...in Jesus' name we pray, Amen.

I knew Veggie Tale's would pay off one day!! =)
"Cuz a thankful heart is a happy heart...I'm glad for what I have, that's an easy way to start, for the love that He shares, cuz He listens to our prayers, that's why I say thanks everyday!"

The Big Move

So...we are in our new, teeny tiny house!! I call it that affectionately...it is absolutely a miracle that somehow, the Lord enabled us to buy a house on one income...especially a camp ministry income. We are still working on finding a place for everything, and hoping to garage sale a bunch of stuff soon. But slowly and steadily we are becoming more settled in our first little house. We are so thankful for all the help and prayers and love of our family and friends and we will see what adventures lie ahead in our new little place...

It might be time for a vacation...

Well, Ben has been working really hard...long hours at the camp, then his Paid Call Fire Academy on Saturdays. Anyway, this Saturday is his last academy and then he will have his "graduation" on August 15th, where he will receive his pager and start responding to calls when he can. This week is the last week of program for summer camp, so hopefully that will mean no more super late nights, although I'm sure his days will start earlier. And, in a week and a half, we will close escrow on the house and move for the third time in 13 months. I think everyone in the Hester house is a little tired, and I know that we are all wishing for a little down time.

When Caleb woke up from his nap the other day, he was crying, "My daddy!! My daddy!!" When I came in the room he looked at me and yelled, "No my daddy at work!!"
I guess someone is really missing Daddy...

This might be jumping the gun...

Okay, now, I do not mean this in any way to put down people who work in a coffee shop. Because really, the camp coffee shop is not at all on the same level as Starbuck's or anything...there's only like, between 200-400 campers per week, and this week is high school, so trust me, not many of them are jumping out of bed before 9am, even for coffee.

But I told Ben...it's been at least 3 1/2 years since I went to work (with the exception of Forest Home Ojai Valley, here and there). And yet I seriously have worked harder every day of those 3 1/2 years than I do at the coffee shop. Which I guess is a good thing, I think. I mean, getting up early I was already doing. Having to use my brain the minute my eyes are open, I was already doing..."Mommy, what are we going to do next?" "What's for breakfast?" "What am I going to wear today?"

And, I am so spoiled because the campers and counselors that come in are so amazing, and I love hearing their stories or just seeing that they are enjoying their time here at camp.

Now, check back in a few weeks, and the early mornings might be starting to catch up with me. But so far, I am really enjoying it. And hey, my first day on the job one of the summer staff came in because she bought me a maternity shirt and wanted to bring it to me. And at about 8am, Ben brings the kids in to visit me (and get a "special drink"...an inch of hot chocolate, with some milk) and for the first time in their lives they are excited to see me because they've been awake for about an hour and a half and I'm not there. So, thank you God for something new and fun!!! Less than two weeks until my first payday!!