Summer Vacation Part 2

A continuation of our summer vacation adventures in Wisconsin:

Day 4: Sunday morning worship at the church I grew up in. It's a delight to see so many familiar faces and be greeted with so many warm hugs. After service, I looked over to see Isaac playing with the sons of a notable Green Bay Packer...he is having a great time and I'm pretty sure that if Uncle Thad were with us he would have a small stroke of joy! After nap time, my Uncle Jake and Aunt Nancy kidnap us for an afternoon at Bay Beach Amusement Park.  Both in their 70s, Jake & Nancy were awesome...they rode the kid train with us, made sure we had enough tickets for each ride, took pictures, and encouraged the consumption of root beer floats...as any good aunt & uncle should when your parents aren't looking! It was a lovely afternoon and I'm glad we were able to spend time with them.

Uncle Jake & Isaac

Some guy-time watching the trains.

Riding in the cars all by himself! Such a big boy!!
I love the video below...each time Isaac would see Jake & Nancy he'd WAVE!

 

 

 

Day 5: Today is a road trip to Wallace, Mi to the DeYoung Family Zoo. This is a family owned zoo that believes people learn more when they are able to get up & personal with the animals. It is quite the experience, but believe me when I say this zoo is in the middle of nowhere! I was a little skeptical at first, but we had a GREAT time--saw the tigers feeding, held a baby monkey and baby bobcat, and fed a hippo!

 

Road tripping!

Horse + zebra = ZORSE!

Auntie Amy & Louie the Chimp

Isaac got to touch a baby bobcat!
(This is now the only bobcat in the world with Pirates Booty in it's fur)

 

Getting ready to see the tigers get fed.

 

An Angora lion & Buddy the zookeeper

 

Giant tortoises

 

Jaelyn feeding Wallace the Hippo!

His lips feel like fish skin!

That's a good hippo

Ange giving her husband grounds for divorce!

Number one konked out

Number two konked out

Number three...not konked out.



 Day 6 morning: This is our final day and turned out being the most special. One hour north of Green Bay is Camp Daniel, an AWESOME Christian summer camp for persons with disabilities age 8 to 88. Ange and her mom have been counselors, and my Uncle Jake & Aunt Nancy have been counselors so I've always know about the camp but hadn't ever been in it's midst.  WOW. I was reduced to a puddle of tears within minutes of arriving...not out of pity or sadness but JOY and feeling a real presence of the Lord. I was thrilled to see many campers with Down syndrome as young as 9 and well into adulthood enjoying a full camp experience and surrounded by counselors and staff that truly believe that "in our weakness He is made strong" (2 Cor 12:9). We stayed for lunch and got to participate in Carnival Day---Isaac & the kids joined right along with the games and we had a GREAT afternoon! We'll be back again in about six years, Camp Daniel...with your newest camper!!

The dunk tank...made from a toilet!

Jaelyn & Isaac both won tickets at the beanbag toss

First snow cone

Practicing being a camper

Day 6, afternoon:You can't be in Green Bay, Wisconsin without going to the holy of holies...Lambeau Field.  I joke that Isaac is the only Asian with a cheesehead! That might not be entirely accurate, but if he is going to be in this family, he'll learn to love God, family, and the Green Bay Packers (and as the saying goes...not always in that order).

The Great & Powerful Lombardi

First trip to mecca

Raising our boys right!

We had a delightful trip. Ange & I talk nearly every day anyway, but I treasure our inhabiting-the-same-location-time and all that comes with it. The extra visits with old & new friends, extended family, and field trips around town was just icing on the cake.  Here is to summer vacations!