Last Friday was the second time Victoria & I got to go on the campout to Lake Murray; we started out going to CiCi's pizza in Gainesville with the whole troop, then off to the camp-site...it was nice to go back to the same camp-site, and know the routine. We were in a different cabin this time. All the girls had a bed, 4 along each side of the room, and the 5 moms that went brought air-mattresses... mine went flat about midnight, and I lay like a mummy on my body pillow the rest of the night. The next morning, we had pancakes, bacon, and orange juice, in the 'mess-hall', which is about 100 yards up the trail...then a small hike to the flag-raising ceremony afterwards; then the hike back to camp... we ate alot of junk-food at camp, but believe me, we walked it off!! After breakfast we hiked down to the beach, and the girls played in the sand & water for a couple of hours, until it got so windy, we thought a storm must be brewing, so we headed back to camp... it was time for lunch by then (HOT DOGS), more junk food...YUM!! This year, we decided to go out of camp on a field-trip; a few miles away was Tucker's Tower and museum...moer hiking (UPHILL) this time!!! My legs are still sore!!!! We herded everyone up to the tower, then up in the tower, and I was a bit scared, but hid it well, then I noticed Victoria acting a bit scared... then she said she felt nauseated, I thought (uh-oh), she has a fear of heights like me... I've never told her I was afraid or get physically ill ... poor thing, she marched right up the spiral staircase & went out to the observation deck, and we took pictures, and looked down..then it was time to go back down, and again, she said she felt sick...but continued down the stairs, cautiously, very slowly, and held tight to my hand, as I did hers... I have to just pretend I am somewhere else to make myself get down those stairs...I REALLY don't like things like that, but ALWAYS make myself do it anyway...and I was really surprised that one of my kids is the same way...never noticed it with the older two... so when we made ot out of the tower, and were hiking back to the cars, she said "that made me feel really sick, like I can't breath", I said "you must have a fear of heights like your Mommy!', she said ,"YOU DO?", so we just bonded right then and there; it was AWESOME!!! I said, "Yep, I do , I get really scared, and feel sick, but just pretend I'm not afraid, and I make myself do it anyway". She smiled and away we went to our next adventure!!! Around the other side of the tower is a marina; we took the girls over their, adn they sell fish-food, and we fed the geese & the fish for awhile. After we got back to camp, the girls ran around, played in the other cabin, played ball, blew bubbles, just relaxed... then we hiked some more down to this beautiful open field to play kick-ball. They really got into the game, but after a couple of innings we started to pick flowers...V & I walked away from the group and lay in the grass... she wanted to find shaped in the clouds, so we did that, and talked, and I asked her if she was having fun, and she said "this part right now is my favorite part Mommy, laying here with you"... (lump in throat)...so sweet...and it was my favorite part as well...very sweet, touching moment between us...Victoria has such a tender, old soul... we just click... next year Mamu wants to go with us... we shall have to see about that...not sure her vocabulary is rated PG!!!
