Sunriver So Far

We arrived here in Sunriver in the late afternoon on Sunday after attending my grandma's service on Saturday, driving nearly 300 miles round trip in one day to do so.  After the 180 miles to get to the cabin, I was so very ready for some rest.  I spent all day Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday ignoring my laptop and catching up on sleep.  Did I mention that in the three days preceding my Grandma's service I averaged five hours of sleep per night?  That's just not enough for this seven to eight hour a night girl.  Needless to say, it has been great to fall off the grid and relax.

Enough about me, let me update you on what the family has enjoyed most so far during this trip.  This week is rather monumental for these Bangsunds because it is the first time we have come to the cabin for an entire week.  I have ALWAYS been too chicken to try it in the past.  The thing that changed my mind was the sweet community church five minutes from the cabin that hosts a Vacation Bible School during the last full week of July every year.  My friend Holly had a friend who brought her kids all the way from Black Butte for this VBS.  I figured it was worth checking out.  I was so right.  ;-)

With over 180 kids in attendance and a literal army of volunteers, this thing runs like a well-oiled machine.  The kids are all given t-shirts, placing them on their "teams" (in their classes) for the week.  Luke is with the 3rd and 4th graders on the red team. Paul is with the 1st and 2nd graders on the green team.  Despite the fact that each team is comprised of at least thirty kids, there are SO many adults and teens present that I think the student/teacher ratio is around five to one.  The kids arrive and line up with their teams to head into the sanctuary where there is a giant mat on the floor color coded by team.  Yep.  They sit in their spots and the music starts.  And this is the true measure, folks, at least in my book.  The music is excellent.  They have a guy up front who can sing and dance at the same time.  He's wearing a cordless mic, ala Madonna, and he rocks.  They sing to a track, but the tunes are fresh and lively, so it doesn't feel canned at all.  A hip video plays on the screen with the words.  There are live puppets on the stage also to help the younger people connect while the bigger kids can dig on the video.  Seriously.  We got a free CD of these songs and I don't hate them.  At all.

Then there are the crafts.  They are AMAZING.  There hasn't been one yet that I've thought was destined for the landfill.  The boys made these fun fleece neck pillows that are actually useful in the car.  Then they made these beautiful fridge magnet boards that have inspired me to clean off the fridge at home.  Today they brought home stunning wall hangings.  Luke's is a painting he did highlighting the fruits of the Spirit.  Paul's is like a stained glass window.

Finally, there is the teaching.  The boys are memorizing great Scripture every night and last night held something particularly special for Paul.  After receiving a sweet little book that walks through all the basics of the Gospel, Paul shared with us that he had prayed to ask Jesus to forgive him, accepting His death on the cross to pay for his sins.  Listening to my littlest boy recount the truths of the Gospel to me was the best thing ever.  I remember that feeling, wanting to tell everyone, anyone, even just myself.  Listen to this...it's the coolest thing I've ever heard...we've all sinned separating us from God, but God made a way to bring us back to Himself through His Son Jesus Christ...His death paid the price for our sin.  And it's a free gift.  I remember repeating these truths to myself over and over again shortly after I became a follower of Christ.  I simply could not believe how amazing it was.  I saw this amazement in my six-year olds face last night as he hugged me and told me that he is now a child of God.  Best vacation ever.

Here are some pics, along with a few more stories.

 We've eaten on the deck here a number of times.  Luke looks old to me in this picture.

 We've only been to the river once so far, but I predict a second trip this evening.

 This guy loves the mud.

 This was hilarious.  These ladies arrived to fish and all action on our shores halted.  They became statues for about two minutes.  That is an eternity in their world, people.  Then they became loud and crazy again, talking about how much they wanted to see them catch a fish.  As they splashed through the shallows shouting about seeing a fish be caught, the irony of the situation did not escape this fisherman's daughter.  Poor fools.

 Tuesday was Hat Day at VBS.  Thanks, Grandpa, for having plenty to choose from here at the cabin.  No hats were harmed on Hat Day.  All have been returned in good condition.

 Today was Silly Sock Day at VBS, and I was SO glad that I had brought these warm fuzzy socks for the cold mornings here.  Yes.  I own these socks and wear them often.  Each boy wore one today, and they TOTALLY did the trick.

Here are the crafts so far:

 Cute fridge organization.

 Paul's stained glass

 Luke's painting already matted.

Last, but most definitely not least, today is Erik's birthday.  When the boys arrived home from VBS, Erik set up the "sleigh" (see below) and introduced the boys to Lego Batman as his gift to himself.  They are going to spend the afternoon gaming together.  After being to the SHARC (awesome amazing water park like complex) or the river every afternoon, I think it's just fine for the boys to sit and watch Daddy play his game for one day of our vacation.  Happy Birthday, Daddy Man.  We love you.