Vacation with a side of guilt

I'm spending the weekend getting ready for our 10 day camping trip up north. We stay in Indian River at a wonderful campground. I absolutely love northern Michigan! We've done this trip 5 years in a row and it never gets old. We don't do or see the same things every year but we do like to revisit a few of our favorites. There is so much to do! And there are festivals and rivers and lakes....one cannot get bored up north.

My favorite place to go, a place that is so beautiful and so peaceful is The Cross in the Woods. I love to go there and sit in front of the cross or walk among the many sculptures. There is also a meditation nature walkway and sculptures of the stations of the cross. The mass is always very nice, too. The Cross in the Woods is staffed by Franciscan Friars of the Sacred Heart, St. Louis, MO. The Friars are always so wonderful to talk to! They have a great gift shop, too. One of the best Christian stores I have ever seen. The Cross in the Woods website does not do it justice!

I think we are going to drive east this year over to Lake Huron. We have never went sight-seeing on the east side of the state. It's always the west and north sides. I have heard there are some waterfalls up near Onaway and some lighthouses and a maritime museum over by Rogers City. I think we'll check those things out.

We'll be cheering E and my Uncle W on as they compete in a biathlon next Sunday during Indian River Summer Fest. The biathlon is 3 miles of kayaking and 14 miles of biking. We are also going to, as a group, rent pontoon boats and spend the day on the inland waterway.

I cannot wait to get out of Dodge! Work is a little wild with the conversion less than 3 weeks away. We start our classroom training tomorrow. That means every day 1 and a few times 2 employees will have to drive to the main office 2 hours away for hands on training. Monday our boss goes and Tuesday, I go. Then my vacation starts. My training is being compacted into 2 days instead of 3 like everyone else's. I go the day before and the day after vacation. I am feeling some major guilt for having vacation during this crucial time but I'm sure I'll get over it about the time the wheels hit the highway! How was I to know last year when we made our reservation and put money down that we'd be going through this major conversion? It's not like they tell us anything until we "need to know". It would have been helpful to know last year that they were going to be blocking vacations for a 6 week span this summer. Then I would have made different plans. Like maybe go see JBTC in the late summer or early fall!!

One last thing: Can I borrow some prayers from you gals? My friend Karen is searching for clarity. She is the friend who is so instrumental in our local Haiti outreach. She is the one that I rolled all the bandages for. He husband Roger is all set to go to Haiti in 15 days. Karen's boss does not want to give her the time off. She works at a farmer's market during the summer and fall. She pretty much works to give. They support a family in Africa and they are currently trying to get the daughter over here for school. They have applied for a student Visa for her and hope it will come through very soon. Every penny Karen makes goes either to their African family or to Haiti. The trouble is, the people who were supposed to go with Roger have all backed out. Now he has to go alone and that is not recommended. Karen wants to go so bad but she will loose her job. She is searching for the sign to tell her to go. I cannot tell her what to do even though she asked me to. I told her I would pray that God would give her the sign whether to stay or go. She is such a good soul! Please pray with me that she will get a clear answer very soon. And, please pray that her boss will soften her heart and not fire Karen for going. I'm sure Karen could find another part-time job but she enjoys working at the farmer's market as much as she loves giving! Thanks in advance for her prayers and I cannot wait to see what she decides to do.

Have a great weekend, everyone, and I'll be posting from vacation! I'll have more time, I hope!

P.S. Still waiting on our foster license!