Camp, camp, and camp again

People think that with (almost!) 7 children, my life revolves around them. Well, I suppose it does in many ways, but not totally. That circling door is shared with food, ( and the scale proves it! ) with all of them coming along for the ride. Being a caterer, both for weddings, lunch/dinner buffets, and for the county, food is a large part of our house. Even more so now because I am the head cook at a camp for the next 4 weeks out of 5. Granted it’s only 7 meals out of the week, (3 breakfasts, 1 lunch, and 3 suppers), but it’s still cooking. And it’s not at my house, which means I not only have to get up before 7 am, but the kiddos have to be up and gone with me. I am enjoying it, though. I get to interact with other people and I’m helping out. I am getting paid for this, but I didn’t know that when I volunteered. I just thought it sounded fun. It’s less than 50 people I’m cooking for, which is a nice change from cooking for 200 people or more. That’s the number of people we cooked for this last Saturday for a wedding. It was our only wedding booked this year, but that’s not unusual. Last year, 3 our of our 4 weddings were booked 4 weeks or less before the date. Being a small catering company, we can handle more of the “last minute” functions more so than a larger one due to the fact that we live in a not so busy area and therefore, we are not booked as heavy.

So far, the summer is going well. We had a few really hot days last week. I obviously got through them, but it wasn’t fun. We have no AC in our house, so keeping cool was a challenge. I certainly couldn’t sit in front of a fan all day. Night time was the worst, but with a fan in the window and our ceiling fan on high, I lived. These last few days have been cooler and much more manageable. I’m not complaining about the hotter days, for I lived in VA for every summer of my life and for the last 2 years of my high school, so I know what hot is. Hot and humid, that is. I am very grateful that living in northern WI, we only have a handful of hot days that are not as humid as the East coast. Most of the summer is around 70 – 75 degrees.

I am definitely feeling less physically able to do things more and more. The tummy is getting larger, which gets in the way often. My back is getting more sore every morning. With me being a cook at camp for the next few weeks and being on my feet much more than I’m used to, I’ve decided to see the chiropractor every week instead of every other week. I never was one who endorsed seeing the chiropractor much, for I always thought what good is it to see someone for something, when that something doesn’t get much better. It just leads you to see them (and pay for) more often. But now? Back wise, this has been my most comfortable pregnancy yet and I know it’s because I have been getting my spin and neck adjusted instead of just ignoring the pain. It is definitely something I recommend now, if someone has chronic back pain and pregnant. Every morning, when I wake up, I have to remind myself not to stretch my legs, otherwise I get horrible legs cramps! That sure gets me out of bed quickly!! Baby is moving and grooving much more these days, but with far less room. That, of course, gives me far more jabs and discomfort, but I’m okay with them. Those movements tell me all is okay, that baby is still growing (and still alive), and that the end is in sight.

My greatest prayers right now are these: that once this child is born, we can come home soon after. With the last 2 babies, they were sent off to the NICU (which is 2 ½ hours south of us) and subsequently, we were not able to bring them home until they were 9 days and 5 days old, respectively. While they needed to be there, is was hard to be there instead of home. So you can imagine why I’m praying about that with this one. If we need to go there, then that’s what needs to be done. But I’m praying that this child will be fine and we can be a whole family sooner than later. My second prayer is that this child is born on a day and at a time that Adam can be there with me and not have to leave (at least, not leave before all the action is done). My mother-in-law will be there as well, so I won’t be alone. But I still want my husband there. Having this contract for the county doesn’t leave us any time for vacation, let alone a chance to cancel the meal (although I suppose they could cancel it in an emergency, for that’s what they do during the Winter if it has snowed heavily, but we’d rather not do that if we can help it). Thursday afternoon would be awesome, for Adam could get that Friday off (that meal is with a non-profit organization and not with the county) and that would give us the entire weekend to get home. But it’s in God’s hands and He knows what is best for us and what we need. I trust Him and whatever happens, happens. The control belongs to Him (for don’t be fooled to think that just because you’re being induced, He’s not in control. For He is. He’s big enough to not allow the Pitocin to work if He knows it is not what is best) and I think it’s better in His hand then mine or my Dr.’s.

I told myself that I’m not going to write much this week. Yeah right! I obviously write like I talk: too much! So I better end now.