oh the ups and downs

I love Camp Tecumseh.  I really do.  But I've been so moody lately as a result of little things.  I get really upset when my campers don't respect me or don't listen to me, but I am so glad when devotions are super great.  I get really sad when my girls don't talk to me, but so fulfilled when I get to have a real life talk with one girl.  I get so upset when I get woken up by 45 guys chanting outside of my cabin at 6:17 in the morning, but am so amused by an apology note from the Buffalo Bros.  I absolutely did not enjoy lake time today because of our LSD, but I guess it's probably a good thing because now I know what I really need to do if such a situation were to ever arise.  It was fine.  I just became real real familiar with the bottom of the Richard G. Marsh lake and almost threw up I was so nervous.

I wish I felt connected to my girls.  I wish I already knew all about them and we could have a relationship.  I wish they would tell me everything that's on their hearts and I could just listen and offer advice.  I wanna sit outside and have life talks with these girls, but I just don't know how.  I feel like I'm still learning so much as a counselor, and I understand that I have to wait to learn everything, but that doesn't mean that I still don't want to know everything right now.

Dos.

Week two only brought us half of a new cabin of girls, because 5 of our campers stayed from week one for their second week at camp.  I was worried about how the new and old girls would mix, but my old girls did such an amazing job welcoming the new campers, and were genuinely interested in getting to know them and making them part of Shoshone cabin.  Although my week was full of some ups and a lot of downs, it all ended up great in the end.  I’ve gotten so close to week two, that I really didn’t want them to leave, come Saturday morning.  I already miss Taylor and Maddy and Clare and Emma and everyone else so much. 

This week I loved teaching friendship bracelets, hearing Taylor’s heart, Songfest, Dominican Chaos, float trip shenanigans, seeing my campers open up in devotions, having Maggie Shadid in my cabin, sports theme dinner, running like a chicken with my head cut off on Tuesday night, playing Empire, having cabin time during the storms, Pathfinder Pow-wow skits, Glen Girl time with purple paint, closing campfire, and serenades.

party on the rooftop top of the world

Week one was great.  The girls bonded so quickly and were so honest and vulnerable and loving and happy that it made our first week fabulous.  I loved:

-       playing with them during lake time

-       teaching clinics

-       seeing them during Women’s Journey

-       playing extreme tennis inside with Anna and our campers

-       helping my campers gain self-confidence

-       watching my girls become forever friends

Closing campfire was great, but so emotional for me.  It was the first time I had been back to closing campfire since I was a torchbearer, and I just couldn’t stop thinking about how I’ve grown and changed and become a better version of myself since then.  I am over the moon excited about being back here, and loving and being with these girls during their torchbearer year. 

I loved hanging out with Kellie over the weekend.  I really love her and we are so much alike in so many ways, that we could possibly be twins.  I can already tell that she’s going to be one of those friends that will always be there for me to support me and encourage me to keep being the best person I can be.  I am glad to have met her along this journey this summer.  

Staff Training... just late :)

Staff Training week was long, stressful, exhausting, nerve-wracking, and intimidating, but also so exciting, hilarious, and just purely amazing.  I loved meeting so many new people and becoming friends right away.  There’s so much to talk about, but here’s my top favorites.

1.     Crow cabin being Twitter for opening campfire

2.     Journaling next to Sarah Wright on our bunks

3.     Eating meals family style at the circle tables

4.     Learning Cupstacking from Tom

5.     Finding out that Jamie is my partner for the summer and that we get to hang out with 15-year-olds during their final year at Tecumseh as a regular camper

6.     Having dinner with the Camp Tecumseh Board of Directors

7.     Amazing Race with the Pathfinder Counselors

8.     TOUCHSTONE ENERGY DANCE PARTY! I don’t think I’ve ever danced that long in my entire life.  I was so sore from whipping my hair back and forth that I had to take Tylenol. 

9.     Hanging out with Sarah on the weekend

10. Being SO excited for campers to come!

3 things i did this past year that i really loved (in photo form)

1.  Joining DG was one of my favorite things this year.  I was definitely skeptical about going greek and how it would be and if I would get asked back to any chapters and everything else.   But I love it.  I love Drake Greek Life and the fact that it's so different from other schools' greek systems.  I loved initiation, pledge class sleepover, getting a big sis and a family, going to chapter, being sisters with my biological mother, and all of my new sisters.  

2.  Joining/starting the Young Life team in Des Moines.  Literally, gave life to me second semester this year.  I completely adore the people, who are so amazing, and I cannot believe what God has done with DSM YL in such a short time.  It blows my mind that leaders are taking kids to camp this summer.  I really wish I could be there for this monumental event.  The first time I met all of these amazing people was at a YL conference in January.  I hadn't even met Brittany until she showed up at my dorm to pick me up for the trip.  I love Young Life.  There really is nothing like it.  I'm glad it's still part of my life in college.  

 

3. Surprising my sister for her birthday.  She had no idea I was coming home for her birthday, and I told her I couldn't because we had DG Relays Brunch, which was true, she just didn't know that I got excused in order to come home to see her.  I wish I had had my camera on me to capture her face when she saw me after coming out of the DMV with her license.  She's presh and I'm glad I could be there for her sweet sixteen.  

Check out the rest of my friends' blogs! We're blog hopping...
Michelle         
Sarah           
Maggie  
Alli            
Annie      
Molly       
Soaps            

3 songs i listened to a lot this year

1.  If I Die Young - The Band Perry
Thanks to Hadley, I was obsessed with this song all summer and the majority of first semester.  I'm still not quite sure why since the lyrics are so depressing, but I loved it nonetheless, and I still do.

2.  Speak Now - Taylor Swift
Technically, I listened to the entire album a lot this year, but Speak Now is just, well... special.

3.  Hey Soul Sister - Train
Love it.  Even though it's overplayed on the radio.  It's just too catchy for it's own good.

3 people that were main characters in my life this year that i didn't know before

1.  Michelle Lippoli
2.  Yvette Mitchell
3.  Emily Hanson
I don't even know the words that can describe what these girls did for me this year.  I really can't.  They're amazing and I love them more than I even understand.

Honorable Mentions (because I hate excluding people):
Chad Borgestad
Maggie Shadid
Dan Bradley
Bianca D'Amico

Brittany Biscoe 

Sarah Seltz

Bridget Purdy
Niki Westenberger
Nikki Force

My May Moments

May was full of finals, not photos. Sorry.