Ft. Campbell - Children/Military

Wow. What an incredible continuation of our week. On Thursday, we started out by eating a breakfast of champions, some delicious breakfast burritos. Our hosts have been so generous and we have been fortunate enough to enjoy home cooking with each of our meals. After breakfast we began preparing our crafts and activities for the day. We planned a variety of activities, from play-doh to paper raccoon tails. We were soon reminded that kids will be kids, and that kids are often messy. And for this reason, tails should be removed before bathroom breaks. After our campers arrived, we began the morning with our traditional carpet time including a story and a review of the rules. It is encouraging to see the growth that these little ones have made in just four days. It has not taken long for the kids to catch on to the routine and the structure of a school day. We have seen one girl in particular who progressed from crying and clinging to her mother on day one, to walking confidently in with her friends this morning.

We began our craft rotations following the morning announcements. The kids seemed to enjoy their different crafts, but the challenge was definitely a crowd favorite. We were fortunate to finally have a spring day so we spent plenty of time outside. The challenge today was an obstacle course that encouraged teamwork and encouragement. We let the owls win today, even though the raccoons dominated yet again. Tonight we enjoyed the generosity of the Corley family who opened up their farm to us. On the farm, we interacted with many cute animals including our group mascot and star of Taylor Swift's latest music video, the screaming goat. The night was complete with a delicious meal and many rounds of smores.

One of the most memorable moments of the evening came when we were invited to sign the floor of Mr. and Mrs. Corley's living room. The family had something like a life size yearbook going, with only subfloor in a majority of their home. What had started out as a way to save money for the family had turned into a way to remember significant life events over the years. The fact that it was difficult to find a free place to sign on their floor was evident of the number of people who had passed through this farm and home and experienced the generosity of this family.

Although it will be hard to leave the kids we have all grown so attached to, it will be comforting to know that they are surrounded by such a supportive community.