Over the super-busy 4th of July weekend, the Winstead family came for a visit.  Steve, Amy and Emma Winstead, Eric Shaw, and Scott and Cheryl Giddens all descended on the campground for a fun and chaotic weekend of joy, laughter, and conversation.  Unfortunately it was also the hottest weekend of the year, which meant that we were low energy – except for Emma.

Emma Winstead is the world’s most adorable four-year-old.  Do I sound like a grandparent when I say that?  I love spending time with her because she has such interesting views on the world.  I also love spending time with her parents, but when Emma is around, she steals the show.

During the Winstead et al visit, Tom and I worked during the day and then headed over to the Wilderness Road Campground after work.  Although being at the campground usually means hanging out around a campfire, Emma likes to stay on the move.  I like to move as well, so she and I would take walks together.  One night she took her four dolls in a stroller and we went down to see Trish and Pat, the campground hosts.  Emma loved seeing the baby birds that had nested at their site.  After that first visit, we checked out the baby birds every evening.

Steve brought along Emma’s battery powered jeep and Emma liked to drive that around the campground.  She is a pretty good driver for a four-year-old.  On their last night, Steve, Amy, Emma and I walked around.  They gave Tom a walkie-talkie and Emma had the other one in the jeep.  Tom is great at thinking up imaginative things to say.  Emma loved talking to him on the radio.

During the Winstead Family visit, I worked with Emma so she could get her first Jr. Ranger badge.  She was very proud of that.  They also stopped by the Visitors Center on Sunday afternoon when I was leading colonial games and tried their hand at Graces.  Steve and Amy took the cave tour on Monday morning while Emma stayed with the other adults.  You have to be five to go on the cave tour, so Emma will have to wait until she is older.

The group found plenty to do while Tom and I were working.  On Saturday they rode the Big South Fork Scenic Railroad.  Monday they played in Gap Creek in the rain.  We all went to the campground program on Friday evening and to the worship service on Sunday afternoon.  Everyone also went to the Cumberland Gap Farmer’s Market on Friday.

With our limited time together, I didn’t feel like we had any deep adult conversation.  But we have all spent enough time together on enough campouts that it wasn’t necessary.  Besides, who wants to have deep conversation when you can run after a four-year-old in a jeep?

We are so thankful that the Winstead family, Eric, Scott, and Cheryl took the time to come and visit.  Getting together with good friends is refreshing to the spirit, even when the body is tired.  Tom and I had plenty of time to rest after we all, reluctantly, said goodbye.