Almost All Grown Up {Boaz and Ezra}

Boaz and Ezra together for a 'farewell' before heading off to new horizons.

Taking flight as young adults, Boaz and Ezra parted ways yesterday.  Born cousins, but brothers by their adoption into the Baker's Dozen, Boaz and Ezra are also best friends.  Surviving a civil war and subsequent placement in an orphanage for about three years in Liberia, followed by a dramatic transition to life in the rural NW United States, their bond is truly cemented onto their hearts.

For Boaz, this is the beginning of a brand new adventure in education and vocational training at Job Corps.  His older sister, Keziah, has been at Job Corps for a few weeks now, and will probably be very excited to see her little brother arrive in a two days.  Their goals include earning their GED's and becoming skilled at a chosen trade.  The Job Corps experience is designed to give them a big advantage when it comes time to find their first job.

Year two on the kitchen staff at Fire Mountain Scout Camp, Ezra knows well what he's gotten himself into.  He preferred a job in the raspberry fields, but the transportation plan didn't materialize.  So, back to Fire Mountain for another summer in the service of hungry Boy Scouts.  Last summer he was known as the salad bar pirate, and admittedly suffered with the 5:30AM wake up each day to prepare breakfast.

Ezra's all packed up and almost ready for departure.

Farewell Ezra! See you in August.

Here's what Ezra is looking forward to at Fire Mountain Scout Camp:

• seeing the new guys working in the kitchen grumping in the morning 
• seeing who is going to be my roommate, sharing a cabin at camp
• meeting new people
• getting a new staff T-shirt
• getting some XC practice in (for the fall varsity cross country season)
• grilled bbq chicken on Fridays

Here's what Ezra is NOT looking forward to at Fire Mountain Scout Camp:

• working until 10PM in the kitchen
• getting up at 5:30AM

Goodbye Ezra, have fun at Fire Mountain...we'll miss you!
Goodbye Boaz...work hard at Job Corps!  Say "Hi" to Keziah...