Kanakuk 2011

Breakfast in the Ozarks before heading to Kamp

Excited to get going!!!

We are ALL excited for Price!

That is one happy boy!

Waitng his turn to say his name and meet his counselors...








"Price Molder from Oklahoma!"

His counselors, Sean and Cash

Tee pee #1

Snow cone!

Meeting up with Price after a week of kamp!

Price recieved the "Heart Award"

The boys of tp 1

Cash, Sean and Jason. Turns out, Jason goes to school in Norman!! Hoping to meet up with him at an OU football game!

This summer was Price's first year at Kanakuk. I was both a kamper and a counselor at Kanakuk and have been counting down with excitement for the day that Price would go. It is kind of funny how it came about. I logged into the Kanakuk website, but my password would not work. It suggested I call the number listed and ask for assistance, so I did. While talking to a sweet woman about my faulty password, I inquired about kamp and how quickly the terms were filling. She asked if I had children that were going to kamp. I said "no, our son is 6, and I know the beginning age of a kamper is 7, so we are so excited for next summer....is it even possible for him to go when he is 6?" The woman said she would get me in contact with the appropriate person and gave me a phone number. I called and with in 15 minutes of talking to Kimmi, the registration person, I was faxed an application and started filling it out. Within a few days we were purchasing kamp clothes, a trunk and toiletries. Price was excited!

We went to Branson on a Friday. We spent the night with my aunt Tammie in her time share at Big Cedar Lodge. Price swam and we had dinner at Steak and Shake (a family tradition during a kamp trip). The next day, Tammie was going to K-West to volunteer 2 weeks as a nurses aid. We got to hang out there, eat lunch and see the fun things at K-West. Price was way to excited to wait. The waiting was starting to make him grouchy! Finally, at 2:00, we went back to the car to get all of his kamp gear and take it to K-Seven, where he would be staying. He was so eager, I thought he might fly away with anticipation! The counselors were chanting and cheering behind the gate....and Price was about to explode with joy! He practically ran when they opened the gates and the flood of kampers and parents walked through the entry. I was a little choked up. First, because I was recalling my time at Kanakuk. The emotion, worship and the love at kamp is thicker than the Ozark humidity. I was so happy that Price was going to experience all of that for himself. I was also thinking "this can't really be happening...we have been looking forward to this since he was born. How can it be here already?!" I was more emotional about this day than I ever was about the first day of Kindergarten; or any other first for that matter. The counselors were crazy enthusiastic as they met each kamper. Price was the youngest one at kamp. He was in Tee Pee One. Yes, I said Tee Pee and yes, they are REAL Tee Pee's. Price thought the sleeping quarters were pretty cool. He put on his swimsuit as Yaya and I made up his bed. The counselors got him a snow cone. Tammie and Kara were there to wish him well and share this exciting first with Price. Kara was the designated photographer.

When it was time to go, Price didn't hesitate. He said "goodbye Mom, see you in a week!" My mom and I stopped just outside of the Kamp gates and prayed for Price and his counselors. I almost made it to the car but the lump in my throat was too much to hold back the tears. I cried a moment and then drove the next hour in almost silence. I wasn't sad. Just knew the next week would be filled with "I wonders" I wonder if he is having fun. I wonder if he is feeling homesick, I wonder if he has tried something new, I wonder if he has made friends. You get the idea. I could send Price emails that would be printed off and given to him each day, but I knew he would not write to me since he is so little. There is no communication except in the case of an emergency. I would miss my little guy so much. I missed him already. I choked back another set of tears as I watched the sun go down on our drive home. I remembered the sound of the dinner bell, the songs and chants and games played in the dining hall, the worship music that fills up kamp during K-Life and the smell of shampoo that lingers as little people shower and get ready for lights out.

I did miss my little guy so much. I prayed for him constantly. Since Tammie was at K-West, which is just down the road, she and Kara would walk through K-Seven to see if they could spy on Price. Sometimes they would find him and send back a text message letting me know what he was doing. One time, they had just finished doing the huge slip and slide. Another time they had just done the zip line. I would check the website daily hoping to see pictures of Price. Most everyday there was at least one. I would try to read his face and pray even harder that he was enjoying his first summer at Kamp.

When it was finally time to go get Price, my mom and dad, me and Maggie Beth left on a Thursday morning. We spent Friday swimming and playing at a hotel in Branson. I was like a kid at Christmas the night before we would be going to get Price. I couldn't sleep. I woke up before my alarm went off and the time seemed like it was moving slowly. We were to be at kamp at 7:30 a.m. When we pulled up to kamp, I could hardly contain myself, though trying to play cool of course. I walked into kamp and from a distance I saw Price's counselors. Like little ducks in a row they came filing out of the kuk (boys) side of kamp. He saw me and almost looked like he didn't recognize me. He hugged my neck, but let go really quickly to embrace his sister. Maggie Beth was glad to see him too. She had missed him like crazy. There was an awards time. Price received the Heart Award. I was so proud of him. He talked about kamp all the way home. He did the chants and told stories. I couldn't stop hugging him.

We are anticipating next year! He will be at K-Seven again. I have applied to be a nurses aid during that same week to help pay for his tuition. We have the Kanakuk Family sticker on the back of the minivan. I will do everything humanly possible for him to continue to go to kamp. It is incredibly fertile soil for kids to grow in their faith. There is nothing magical about kamp itself. It is Christ in the people at kamp that make it so amazing! I could not be more thrilled that God has started this journey with Price through Kanakuk.