A group of 12 comes to visit

The highlight of my day today was when 12 people walked up the beach to visit me. All summer I'd been talking with our minister, his wife and kids about coming to visit me in the lighthouse. It just turned out they were going to be visiting their friends in Holland who have 5 kids for a few days this week. So, their adventure for the day became coming to the lighthouse to visit me. About 4:30 Brad called down from the tower that he could see them half a mile away. I waited a few more minutes, then went out to greet them. It was so good to see them all and I got lots of hugs and love. We got everyone settled in the video room and watched the video. Then, they took turns putting their faces in the lens for pictures. It was a lot of fun for all of them as they looked at each other and laughed. Then, it became time to climb the tower. I was kind of wondering how this would go and we quickly were aware of who was afraid of heights and who wasn't. Two of the other couples children started climbing right away. The almost 2 year old started charging the steps and climbed all the way to the top. I was worried the most about him and he did the best. The other couple and 3 of their kids just couldn't do it, as well as the oldest child of my friends. So, they stayed at the bottom as the rest of us climbed to the top. We went out and the almost 2 year old had to have his hand held the entire time because if it wasn't, he would try to run around the top. Amazing how some kids are afraid, and others aren't bothered by it at all, especially for a little guy. After taking lots of pictures we climbed back down and met the rest of our group in the keepers quarters where Dorothy and Cindy had decided they were going to feed all 12 of my guests. A sheet on the floor quickly turned the living room into a picnic area for the kids and it was a lot of fun talking with them and catching up. After supper I took them outside for the popsicles they had been promised as bait for them to make the 2 mile walk. It was so much fun having them visit and being able to share this special lighthouse experience with all of them.
I can't believe how incredibly blessed I am to have people in my life who love me and care about me enough to bring 8 kids on a 2 mile hike up the beach to visit me with the only reward being a few popsicles. I can only hope that each of you reading this has people in your life that bless you the way this family blesses me, be it cards when I was in Thailand, or making a 2 mile hike out to the lighthouse, they are always there for me and have helped me grow into the person I am today. Thanks guys :)