1 child, 1 hubby home

Alison and Thornton returned from camp today. They were at a church "first timer's camp". Thornton has been helping out as a counselor for the past 5 years or so, but this was Alison's first camp experience.

While she was gone, I completely redid her bedroom. Poor child was still sleeping in a room w/ BOY soccer player border all over the walls. It was so not a pretty little girls room. Now it is! I'll have to take pictures once the camera gets back from camp. 3 of the walls are a deep raspberry pink, the other wall is covered in 2 layers of batting, and covered w/ pale pink fabric. We had bought a bedding and curtain set from someone at church last year, and it has beautiful flowers all over it. Her bed is now surrounded w/ tulle netting. When she got home, she went to put her stuff in her room. She walked in and said, "MOM!!". Then the dog walked into her room and she said, "Mia is not allowed in my room anymore". I'll be honest, considering the hard work I've put in over the past 2 days (dark pink requires 3 coats of paint!), it wasn't exactly the huge reaction I was expecting or hoping for, but I know she appreciates it.

Poor Alison is exhausted. I wonder if she slept at all while she was away. I did hear that she was a bit too talkative the first night. I haven't really gotten too much information out of her about camp, but I'm thinking I will when she's less tired.

Thornton, of course, is exhausted. He said that although camp was only 3 days, it seemed much longer this year. Could be because the temps were in the 90's the whole time. Hot temperatures sure can sap your energy.

I just read that Ruth Graham is in a coma and nearing the end of her life. Ruth is Billy Graham's wife. I'm a huge Billy Graham fan. Last summer, I had the privilege of hearing their daughter, Ann Graham Lotz, speak at a conference in Montreat, N.C., where the Graham family home is. Ruth was ill at the time, but managed to come to one of the sessions. Billy has been having lots of health issues, too, so it makes me sad to think that he will go home to heaven likely soon too. Granted, there's no better place to be than heaven, so I shouldn't feel too bad!