The countdown has begun

We are right at two weeks from our latest Camp Adventure and there is excitement brewing at the Camp House.
As you all know, my husband and son are space junkies. They love Star Wars, Star Trek, you name it. Anyway, NASA is phasing out the Space Shuttle Program and there are only a few more shuttle launches left. Well, Daniel decided that he wanted to see a launch. The program began when we were kids so we've grown up with the Space Shuttle. We were in the 10th grade at Dorman the day Challenger exploded at takeoff. He was the one who ran into my class and told my teacher to turn on the tv. We watched together the day Columbia disintegrated during re-entry. It has just been part of our lives and now it's almost over. So, he wants to see it in person.
He did some research and found out about the lottery to get tickets to the launch and, somehow, his name was selected to buy tickets. I tell you when he sets his mind to something, he makes it happen.
Anyway, the launch is scheduled for November 1st which creates a long weekend for Owen and I since election day has schools closed that Tuesday. So we're packing up and heading to Florida again. Sara isn't going with us because that's the same week of her State band contest so she can't/wouldn't miss practice for anything, but Daniel's sister, mom, and dad are going with us so it'll be a family affair for sure. I am less excited about the Space Shuttle than I am about seeing Owen and Daniel's faces when they see it blast off. It will be for them, like going to the Folger Shakespeare Library was for me, a surreal moment when dream meets reality. I wouldn't miss it for the world.

Update

Well, we've made it to the end of the longest week ever and I thought I'd post so you'd know how things are progressing at the Camp house. We now have restored phone service (but only one of the phones actually works) and restored DirecTV (but the DVR is not functioning properly so they're sending us another one). The heating and air conditioning was fixed yesterday.

Today Daniel is expecting the electrician to do a whole house inspection, the appliance repairman to evaluate the refrigerator and stove, the plumber to check on the hot water heater, the garage door guy to install a new garage door opener, and the contractor to evaluate the structural damage.

Right now our kitchen is essentially shut down - we have the extra freezer in the laundry room and the microwave. The stove top still works, but the oven doesn't so I'm not completely comfortable using it. The insurance guy asked me to make a list of all the refrigerator contents that were lost and assess their value - it was like shopping in reverse. I did learn that we seem to be big fans of cheese and salad dressing. We had more of those items than anything else. The insurance company has agreed to reimburse us for those items and the meals we have to eat out because we can't cook at home. Sounds better than it is. Eating out is fun when you have time to go where you want and relax. It is not fun when you have to wait on everyone to get home and then find something quick so the kids can get back to do homework.

We are planning to shop tonight for a new wireless router and two telephones. We may also have to shop for new applicances. Tomorrow the Geek Squad is coming is evaluate the computer. My feeling is that we'll have to shop for another one of those too. Still, during this ordeal I have not had to visit a hospital or funeral home. Thank you God. The Camp Family Adventures continue...

"We've been hit"

Those were Owen's words on Sunday morning seconds after lightning struck our home. Our memories are all a little different about exactly how it all happened, but here's my version:
We had been to Tennessee on Saturday following the Rebel Regiment (they swept the competition) and had gotten home around 2:45 am so we slept in that morning. Around 11, Daniel was making some grits for breakfast, I was talking to him in the kitchen, Owen was watching TV and Sara was upstairs on facebook. It was a rainy morning, but not a stormy one. We had heard no thunder. All of a sudden there was a tremendous boom, the entire house shook, the smoke detectors went off, and then the power shut down. We stood there stunned for a second. Sara came running downstairs thinking the kitchen had blown up and Owen said, "We've been hit" as if we were in a war zone. Daniel looked out the front door and saw that it looked like a war zone too. He said, "Get out." Sara used her phone to dial 911 and gave it to me. We grabbed the cats and took off for the garage. We didn't see any fire so we loaded everyone in the cars and moved them across the street.
The fire department got there in maybe 5 minutes time. They searched the house and used some sort of thermal detector to look for hot spots. After awhile they declared the house safe to enter and help Daniel put a tarp on the roof.
Here's what we saw:
A couple of holes in the roof as the entry point with some damage to siding and shingles.
The ceiling of the front porch blown down onto the porch.
Debris from the ceiling had broken one of Sara's windows.
Pieces of shingle, insulation, and soffit all over the yard.
A stove that worked, but an attached oven that didn't.
A refrigerator that seems to be dying (still keeping cool inside, but HOT to the touch outside).
2 lights out and 3 outlets out in the kitchen.
All outlets out in the garage (including the door opener).
A fried wireless router and DSL splitter (with scorch marks on the wall).
A computer that turns on, but doesn't work.
A fried surge protector that saved everything it was supposed to (a miracle worth celebrating).
No phone service and no directv (lines and equipment).
No heating and air conditioning (yeah, we did just buy a new heat pump...).
There may be more, but that's what I can think of right now. I'll post pictures when we have a computer at home up and running.
But, what's more important than what was lost is what was spared - our lives. All four of us and our beloved pets were completely untouched. God held us in His Hands that day and protected us. Yes, we are inconvenienced and yes, it will cost us some money (even with insurance), BUT we are alive and we have each other. We are so blessed.

Back to Tennessee

Man, we sure do seem to make this drive quite a bit. Anyway, this weekend we're heading up there with the Rebel Regiment. We've been to a couple of winterguard shows at nearby Volunteer High School (a shout-out to all the nice people there), but this time we're up the road just a bit for a band competition at Dobyns-Bennett High School. There are several schools in that area with top-notch guards so getting to see their full bands should probably be quite a treat. I'll post details and some pictures soon!

Anniversay Getaway

Dolphins :-)

A gift from the hotel for our anniversary. Strawberries were great, but I'm not a champagne kind of girl.


The old married couple having dinner overlooking the harbor.

This year for our 17th wedding anniversary Daniel and I took a break from the hectic Camp happenings and went to Hilton Head (without the kids). Even though without the kids is in parentheses, it's a big deal. We hadn't taken a trip without them since 2003 when we went to Chicago. It's just not something we've done much. While we missed them, it was great to focus on us for two days and RELAX. Maybe we'll make it a new tradition.

Back to School

Another school year begins on Monday and the school-goers here are generally in favor of the idea.
Owen will be in the 6th grade. He misses his friends and is looking forward to his last year as a kid. Next year he goes to middle school and with that comes some good stuff - riding the bus, and a possible cell phone. I think he craves a routine. Summer is so carefree - right up Sara's alley- and Owen is a rules and order guy. He likes to know what's happening, when, where, how, and why. I hope he takes my class. Students like Owen are wonderful!
Sara is also looking forward to heading back, or moving up, in her case. She is a high school student now. When will I get used to that? She's at the freshman academy this year and taking some challenging classes. While she is a free spirit, she's creative and smart and won't back down from a challenge. I hope she takes my class. Students like Sara are wonderful!
This is my 18th year of teaching. When you add those to the 17 years I spent as a student, I am starting school for the 35th time. I love all the back-to-school hoopla - fresh notebooks; a clean, reorganized and redecorated classroom; a few new clothes; the whole bit. I am looking forward to the students' return too. This year has been difficult to begin with three furlough days right off the bat. It took some of the excitement away for me. Less time to prepare and no one likes to start on a negative note. It can set the tone for the whole year, but it won't. I won't let furlough days or budget cuts or an over-crowded classroom spoil this year for my students. This is the only year they get in 10th grade or 12th grade (hopefully) and we'll make it a success.

Technology Invasion

Gadgets, gadgets, and more gadgets!!!

Recently we've been blessed with some new toys at our house. First, Daniel received an iPad from his mom for his birthday. He was completely surprised and he absolutely loves it (the rest of us do too). Because of that, we had to get a wireless router to set up a network for the house. That purchase enabled Owen to use the internet settings on his DSi. Good stuff!

To top that, my boss at the schoolhouseused some grant money to purchase Kindles for my AP Literature class. Wow, school without textbooks? Awesome!

The only thing I need now is that robot to do all my housework for me.