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.