Campmeeting 2009

What a difference a year makes! V is now a champ at traveling (although I must admit that the portable DVD player we finally broke down and bought helped a lot)...

As usual, campmeeting revolved around the same 4 things (in no particular order):

1. How to stay cool 2. What to eat 3. Who to play with, and
4. Church

For V, the answers were:
1. How to stay cool: the creek and popsicles

Ready to swim!

Braving the slide

Enjoying a fudgesicle

2. What to eat: biscuits and figs

Special "Ginny-size" biscuits and cheese grits made by Queenie every morning

Mississippi figs hand-picked by Devon Guy!

3. Who to play with: the Hale children
There is a thing known as a "campground crush"...everyone has one at some point in their years growing up at campmeeting. I won't reveal any from circa 1989-1995 here, but I will let you know that V developed what may be the youngest campground crush ever at age 2 1/2. She fell head over heels for Roe Hale, her 7th cousin.

Roe is 7 years old, has 2 younger siblings and talks a little like an English butler (I am quoting his mom here). V called him "that tall boy" "my best buddy" "my great guy" and only sometimes, "Roe". We spent most of every day tracking him down, discussing whether or not he was awake or asleep and when she could see him next. She loved him in a way I wasn't expecting, but couldn't help taking advantage of like, "V, time to go to church. Roe will be there so come on!" or "V, time to take a nap, Roe is taking a nap now, too."

She also loved hanging out with Roe's 4-year-old brother Abram. Although he was mostly too busy being a superhero or playing with his 1st cousin and partner in crime, Guy Braden, to really pay attention to her.

She also made plenty of time for baby Sophie...the newest addition to the Hale family. She tickled her, hugged her and kissed her as often as possible. I can't blame her, Sophie is beyond cute.

4. Church:Well, there was plenty of playing in sawdust and trying to escape the pew to get to the playground, but then again, there was this one sweet service that I actually got to hear the sermon.

Her best quote was after the service when I asked her why she fell asleep and she replied, "the sermon made my eyes close, Mama." Amen, sister. Amen.

Church, by the way, is held twice a day at campmeeting, in an open air tabernacle with sawdust floors. (It is United Methodist- so no comments about snake handling, and no, it is not a cult despite what T thinks.) On Sundays, we sit with the whole extended family, this year represented by Aunt Dale (left) and Aunt Jennie (right).

It is lots of fun catching up with cousins (this is Bonnie, my 3rd cousin)

AND getting to meet my cousin's children and watching them play.

This is Alec, my 3rd cousin Heather's son...

And so, the campmeeting tradition continues on...despite the heat. :)