LONG LIVE INTERLOCHEN!!

Oh man, words cannot express the absolutely fantastic time we had at Interlochen. When we try and explain the "magic" there, people listen politely, but unless you've visited the camp, it's just not real.

We met the best family--the other physician, Joel Gordon, and his wife, Gay, and their kids, Solveig, Freya and Matthias. We're already making plans to return together next year. Between shared popsicles, s'more-making evenings, date nights to faculty concerts and improv theatre around the campfire, there just aren't better friends.

One of John's favorite things about Interlochen? Unlimited, FREE food! I discovered that I haven't really grown up. Corn dogs for lunch with tater tots o

n the side was my favorite. I even brought one home (complete with condiments) on my bike.

Ethan is working as a counselor, Mark is a high school camper, and lo and behold, to our surprise, Glo got to be a day camper. Although we brought her violin for practicing, she opted to

NOT take a single music class. Instead, there was ceramics, printmaking, painting & drawing and environmental exploration.

Ethan is having a glorious time, basking in the adoration of twelve 12- and 13-year-old boys. What more could Ethan want in a summer job? Free Food. Games at all hours. Gorgeous female counselors. Foot races and basketball games that he actually WINS!

Mark is sitting second chair in the Interlochen Philharmonic AND singing in the World Youth Chorus. While the music is beautiful, it's all magnified by the surroundings. Lakes, trees, cones at the Melody Freeze and the Michigan state bird: the mosquito.

John and Mark got "swimmer's itch" while Glo came down with a cold. The bruises on my legs from biking through sand are slowly fading. I look with fondness at the remaining red dots left lovingly by that state bird and his friends. The Toperkins were frequently moving throughout our cabin, creating havoc.

On the one night a week that Ethan had off, we took Mark out of camp and headed to Pirates' Cove miniature golf. I know it sounds stale, but we don't have such a place in State College. It was a blast!

The best part about all of it? Just being able to relax. No church commitments, no appointments, no bedtimes, no TV. Just feeling the sun (and rain, at times) on our faces, hearing heavenly music and concentrating on the most important thing of all: each other.