The Camping Trip

After posting not too long ago about relationships with old friends, it seems appropriate that I share a little now about the new relationships God has seen fit to bless Darin and I with recently!

This past weekend Darin and I took a spontaneous camping trip with two couples that we've become friends with from our church: Matt and Shannon and Joe and Ashley. We've known Matt and Shannon for almost two years now, but only started getting to know them on a more personal level in the last year or so. They volunteer with the Student Ministry at our church just like we do and it's been great to be ministry partners with them. We had the pleaure of meeting Joe and Ashley only three weeks ago. When Darin and I decided that we'd be willing to host an adult home-small group with our church we met Joe and Ashley who were new to the church and we instantly clicked. Darin and I still fancy ourselves newly-weds (we'll be celebrating 4 years in a couple months), but these two couples make us look like veterans (they have been married one year and one month respectively and view my and Darin's ages of 31 and 26 as old. : )

Well, we decided to organize a little camping trip for the six of us (seven if you count Minnie the puppy) and had a blast! Some highlights of the weekend include:

• Borrowing a pop-up camper from some other good friends who were out of town for the weekend (thanks, Joel and Tracy!)
  
• Hiking in beautiful Ledges State Park


• Proudly watching Darin land in the role of "Master of the Grill"


• Making S'mores with Reeces Peanut Butter Cups instead of plain chocolate (you should try it some time!)


• Stumping each other with silly brain-teasers and riddles around the campfire


• Pulling burrs and leaves out of Minnie's fur

The men decided to take the truck with a couple bicycles in the back at one point on Saturday evening to "ride bikes and take in the scenery". Yeah, we didn't believe them either. The ladies and I stuck by the campsite and played with Minnie and had some good "civilized" conversation. After a while, we see the truck pull back up to the site with Joe in the driver's seat, Matt next to him and Darin riding in the back completely DRENCHED! To fully appreciate their apparent "hightlight" of the weekend, view the video below... because I just don't think words will do it justice.




I bet you're wishing that you could get in on Darin and Erika's next camping trip right about now, aren't you?!