From My Journal

Friday, March 21, 2008 ~ Josh's birthday!

It snowed out today and actually stayed on the ground! This has happened every March for the past 3 or 4 years. It’s insane. The white flower buds on our currant tree are about to bloom. It rained all last summer, and we’ve had daffodils blooming since Christmas. Now it’s March and it’s snowing. I think the weather and seasons are a little confused at the moment…

We made Mom’s famous Banana Split Cake for Josh’s birthday today. Mrs. Kamps has been busy packing for their sudden trip to Canada and didn’t have the time, so she asked us to make the dessert.

The Kamps are our fellow missionary friends working here in Holland. I mentioned in an earlier post that the Dutch government is refusing to give Mrs. Kamps her Visa, even though Mr. Kamps and the kids are allowed to stay. (Really makes a lot of sense to split up a family, huh? I will refrain from commenting further…) If Mrs. Kamps isn’t out of the country by the end of the month she will be arrested, so she and the kids are going back to Canada, and Mr. Kamps will be joining them in a while. We’re really going to miss them. Lord willing they will be back…somehow.

We left for the Kamps’ house at 4:15 (?) p.m. We were supposed to be there at 4 o’ clock, but running 15 minutes late isn’t too bad…(ahum) Mrs. Kamps and the kids greeted us warmly at the door. We stood around talking for a while, and Mr. Kamps started the grill in the backyard.

Alisah (age 12) and Grace (age 8) are both taking piano lessons. I played my made-up version of that beautiful song on “Anne of Green Gables” for Alisah. She loved it and pulled her mom over to listen. Alisah, Grace, and I all traded turns playing our favorite hymns, etc., on the piano. They are really progressing. Soon they’re going to be teaching me! (I never got very far in my piano lessons. After learning the basics I struck out on my own. My piano teacher had to quit teaching me because of the increasing pain from her rheumatoid arthritis.) Annika (age 5) sweetly informed me that one time she fell asleep to my piano playing when we were babysitting them. She’s so cute! I can hardly believe how much she’s grown. I remember a time when I changed her diaper, read her favorite princess book to her, and then put her down for a nap. Why do kids have to grow up so fast?

Well, we were all hungry, so Mrs. Kamps decided we should eat right away, even if it was earlier than usual. I didn’t argue! We ate hamburgers, chips, and fresh vegetables for dinner. Mr. Kamps brought a plate of burgers in the house, teasing that he had left the plastic wrapping from the processed cheese on when he melted the cheese onto the burgers over the heat of the grill. He said it gave the burgers a nice shine. Yuck! We all groaned and then laughed. Ha, ha! He’s so gross! The meal was good. Those were the first burgers of the year. Josh just loves burgers.

Mom and Mrs. Kamps talked as Alisah and I cleared the table. Then I played with Grace and Alisah’s hair, putting it in a twist. They love that. Mr. Kamps, Dad, Josh, and Josiah played racing games together in the living room area. Josh had built a fire, but the guys were complaining that it was too hot, so Mrs. Kamps suggested they move to the cool dining room, so we could enjoy the warmth of the fire. Mrs. Kamps, Mom, Alisah, and I played Dutch Blitz. It was the first time I ever played the game, but it was fun once I got the hang of it. We played several rounds.

We gave the girls two little stuffed animal dogs that Lydia and I got from someone when we were way past the age of playing with such things. The dogs wagged their tails and barked. Too cute! They make really nice pets! When you tell them to shut up, they do. When it’s raining outside and you don’t feel like taking them out, it’s no big deal. The girls loved them. The Kamps have a poodle, so we decided to see what Tisha thought of her furry “relatives.” She was terrified of them. Ha, Ha! It was hilarious!

After we had our fun, it was time for dessert. Yum, yum! It seemed like everyone merged to the kitchen as we got the candles on the cake. We needed elbow room, so, in mock gruffness, I teased, “You are prohibited from viewing the cake!” as I shooed them all out of the kitchen. Mr. Kamps had his camera out and was taking short videos. Knowing how I hate that, he made a point of sticking it right in my face. Er! He said it was going straight on YouTube. Mr. Kamps is the biggest tease I have ever met.

Well, we eventually got the candles lit and brought the cake to Josh in the living room so he could blow them out as we sang “Happy Birthday” to him. He blew them out all in one breath; not too bad for an old guy of 14! :) We dished the cake out, and I half-teasingly-half-seriously declared that fines would be handed out to anyone who didn’t finish their delicious cake. Ha, ha! It was Mom’s own recipe and so very good! I would say it was a hit. Annika had her face covered in cake and she was trying to pack more in, though her mouth was already full. When I asked if it was good, she nodded and smiled big. Cutie! I must say that naughty Grace and Annika left the crusts of their cake, so I had to fine Grace with a $100 ticket and Annika with a $50 ticket, but then I cancelled them with the payment of a kiss.

Then we opened gifts. Josh was first, since it was his birthday, then Alisah, then Annika. (Alisah’s birthday was last month, but we were sick, then their family was sick, so we were never able to give her gifts to her. Annika’s birthday is actually in May, but they will be in Canada then, so we gave Annika’s presents to her early.) They seemed quite happy with their new toys.

Annika and I sat together on the couch studying her new book. Then we traded turns drawing on her new mini doodle pad. It’s so cute to watch little kids draw. Annika announced, “I’m going to draw you because you are pretty.” Aw! That made me feel good.

It was getting late, so I helped Grace and Annika bring their toys to their bedroom, and then they got ready for bed. We hugged each other good bye. I thanked Mr. Kamps for the “melted plastic, burnt sacrifices” as I shook his hand good bye. :D The burgers weren’t really burnt sacrifices, but Mr. Kamps needs a good dose of his own medicine every once in a while. Ha! He knows how to take it, as well as how to dish it out.

We had such a fun time together. It’s sad to think that is the last time in a long time that we will be able to fellowship with the Kamps. One good thing is that we don’t really get together very much during the summer anyway. In the ministry, summers are generally quite busy. Between their family and ours, most of the birthday are crammed between November and March, so that’s when we get together the most. I sure do love those Kamps! I’ll miss them.