Banana Split

I'm eating a banana split right now.  Just thought you'd like to know how I celebrate my evenings off.  Whew, baby.  Do I appreciate an evening off.

Camp is so fun and so wonderful but soooo exhausting and that explains my silence.  Since my spare moments are few I'm going to keep this post short but I thought I'd give a little description of my past week.

The first campers came last Sunday around 2:30 and from that moment on my energy level declined drastically.  I'm wondering if it will ever be refueled...

But, it's quite amazing because the a.m. sermon in Wolcott that first Sunday was on trust and this past week I have thought so many times at how much I just need to let go and trust God.  Trust God that I can get my horse lessons planned appropriately and trust God that the campers I just sent to the bathroom will return safely and trust God that I'm where I'm supposed to be--Crow cabin, Camp Tecumseh.

A few phrases I've said many times this past week: 'step it up, Crows!' and 'you'll see'.  The girls finally caught on by the end of the week that what we're doing in a few hours isn't relevant to the current activity and if they want to know the plans for the week they need to hurry their hinds and walk up by Lizzie, my wonderful co-counselor, and I while we discuss our activities as we walk from place to place.  Ha.  We're so sneaky.  *Smirk*

The past week some things our campers got to do was jump around on the floating trampolines at the lakes a.k.a. blobs, go on a mud hike, zipline, set up hammocks and get rained out (glad we made it back to the cabin first!), jump off the high dives, and just be together and laugh.  It's tiring, yes, but they have so much fun.  And some of them have even become not just my campers but my friends which means I need to get better at making friendship bracelets.

I'm terrible at making friendship bracelets and the fact that the first app I've bought is a friendship bracelet app might explain how much camp has taken over my life.  If you want to talk to me in the next few months, don't expect me to know much about the outside world except for what I see on Instagram or hear from the girls in the cabin.  Oh, did you hear that Zayn from One Direction dyed his hair green?  I know, life changing.

And talking about life changing...most of you probably heard that there's been a life change in our family.  Saturday morning David surrendered his life to Christ and we are so thankful and blessed.  Beyond blessed.

And on that note, I'll sign off so I can go decorate a birthday cookie for our birthday camper!
Have a wonderful summer everybody!  And don't take air conditioning for granted.

Staff Training

I thought horsemanship was a lot but the past few days have been intense. Camp Tecumseh has a very high reputation nationally and I'm beginning to see why. They have adopted the 'swing the lamp' or 'go the extra mile' philosophy and it makes camp both an incredible but also very exhausting experience. The past few days have been fun and exciting as nothing around here is done in the typical manner but I have also been overwhelmed. All those things that set Camp T apart from other camps are the things that take effort and training. We've had clinics on creative counseling, how to write personal parent letters about each child that passes through, whole child development, check-in scenarios, health, nature connection, and I think you get the point. Sometimes they'd bring something up that I never would've thought about but sure enough, it can happen at camp and we need to be prepared. What I love is that they take the time to set aside a week just to prepare us for the best experience this summer. And mixed in with all that is the fact that their motto is 'I am third' and the mornings include chapel, the evenings involve cabin devotions.

So while there's a lot to learn and much to remember, it's been such a fun learning process. Today instead of simply telling us places we can go for weekly camp-outs, we tromped all over the camp and practiced setting up hammocks by the river and a tent in the meadow. We built fires in a wet forest (oh yah it rained ALOT) and learned how to use the telescope. I can't describe how amazing it was to have a day romping around in God's glorious creation but I do have a few pictures. Enjoy :)

Oh and quick apology for the fact that I'm doing this on my phone so autocorrect may do some silly things and formatting might be odd. 

Each group was given a bird name and we were team Robin. Our leader (in the blue) gave us all mud marks at our first stop so of course he was marked too.

One of my favorite co-counsellors. She's from Brazil and that automatically gains her five points :)  We got to visit the mini farm and play with chickens. 

The fire Eduardo and I built.  Will it burn?

Maybe...

Yes!!!

Moving on from the forest we trekked through the woods to the river. I hope to camp here sometime. Quite relaxing. 

After setting up hammocks we moved on to the south pasture which is on the edge of the woods. There we enjoyed a hobo dinner which is something we will do with campers. It marks the first time I tried a veggie patty and it was delicious! Mix it with some carrots, apple, onion, potatoes, garlic, some spices and a little ketchup and you've got a class one hobo meal. 

We've had photographers tracking us all during training so with the setting sun we played around jumping and spelling out TECUMSEH with silhouettes. 

Right now I'm chilling in a library with just a few other people while most of the other folks mingle in the fellowship room. After a day of being immersed with people it's nice to have some quiet time :)

Oh, and if you ever need to know how toake a towel chicken give me a holler. I've got you covered. 

Have a great week everybody!