The last month or two has been full of camp, holiday prep, celebrations with friends, and sickness. For Thanksgiving and Christmas this year, we decided that we would enjoy the holidays here in California. We’ve done a lot of traveling this last year, and we really felt we just needed the time to rest and refresh for the coming busy months.

With us here in California away from family, Thanksgiving looked a lot different this year compared to last, but we had fun making it our own. We spent time together just the three of us and enjoyed time to just have fun. We also took time to look back on the year and to thank the Lord for all he’s done. I always find it crazy around this time of year when I look from January all the way to November, remembering all the blessings and gifts the Lord gave us. Not only that though, but also all the hard times. The trials of life and how the Lord has brought us out of those times or what the Lord taught us through them. January of last year I was thankful for the job I had but I had such a longing to be back in ministry. Many nights in tears with Alyssa praying for the Lord’s leading, praying specifically for the Lord to allow us to go back to camp ministry and if it be his will to let us go back to Ironwood. Back in January, I would never have thought that in just a handful of months we would be back out here serving the Lord. The Lord is good in the good times, and in the hard, He is good. I pray Alyssa and I won’t forget how the Lord has worked in our lives. 

Now with Christmas just a couple days away, we are taking more time to enjoy and rest just the three of us. Early in November, we were gifted a Christmas tree by the director of the camp and his wife, which was awesome! We completely thought that this Christmas was going to be without a tree. Rocky has really enjoyed looking at all the ornaments and loves turning  the christmas tree lights on by himself. He also enjoys the Peanuts Christmas soundtrack that’s been playing in our house almost on repeat since the day after Thanksgiving. The hardest part of Christmas for Alyssa and I is waiting for Christmas to open presents. We are always so impatient for the other to open the gifts we’ve got each other. This year we’ve done really well though! We’ve only opened one gift a piece from each other; so much better than previous years. 

Other than holidays, we’ve been keeping busy here at camp. November was filled with opportunities to serve campers in large groups and small ones. We are very thankful for the campers the Lord sends our way. At the end of November we have a two day meeting with all of the staff here at Ironwood, simply called November meetings. We talk about all the things the Lord has done here at Ironwood and also look ahead and begin plans for the future. It’s also just a wonderful time to see everyone on staff and hangout together as a camp family. 

December has been slower with fewer camps and also more prep around camp for the next couple months. It seems to me like they’re going to be some of the busiest months we’ve seen since being back here. This last week was particularly fun for me, without campers to feed, there was no need for me in the kitchen. I was able to help the grounds team this week with various projects. I helped put some beams up for a new recycling area, and also was able to help Dylan (head of grounds) with a project he had. We built a tool bed in his truck, to help with transporting tools around camp and overall efficiency. I really loved seeing a side of camp that I don’t get to help with often. I also am thankful for Dylan spending time teaching me skills and how to use tools that I’ve never used before. My favorite was being shown the basics of welding and even getting to do some of the finishing welds on the project. I’m thankful for Dylan’s leadership, teaching, patience, and kindness this last week. https://theholsclaws.wordpress.com/

Alyssa is loving working with the kids at the camp daycare for staff kids. She’s enjoyed looking for toys for the children and also fun activities they can do with the kids. For the Christmas season, the daycare workers baked gingerbread cookies with the kids and they all made their own little gingerbread men, gingerbread deer, gingerbread sleighs and even a rare gingerbread dinosaur. I was able to come and be a part of it for a few minutes and Rocky was really having a blast nibbling on his gingerbread.

Rocky seems really comfortable now here at camp. He has a good grasp of where everything is and especially how to get back home. At the end of our walks we often ask him, “Where’s home?”  He will then excitedly show us the way back home. He really loves all his friends and it’s especially fun for me to ask him who he played with that day, and to hear him list off all the kids he played with. Rocky is really starting to act like a little boy and not a baby anymore, which is bittersweet. He’s been learning to wash his hands on his own, feeding himself with a spoon and fork, brushing his own teeth, and beginning to have preferences in clothes he wears. He loves anything with cars or bears on it, also his beloved socks with bananas on them, which are almost too small for his feet now. We love having him here, and he just seems to be thriving in this environment.

We’re looking forward to this coming month, which is just slam-packed full of stuff, and looking forward to sharing what the Lord does in the coming month. For now though, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the Bealles here at Ironwood!!

Prayer Requests:

Strength in the coming busy month

Monthly support numbers to increase

Sickness to get better and stay gone