Huh. Funny I thought life would be extraordinarily fun after I reached upper teens. I'm realizing now how my idealistic life was really off the wall!
Friday, the 8th, was our first Youth Gathering!! That was exciting- building up to my super exciting weekend/week!!!
(Saturday) So the day rolls around- I drag myself out of bed around 6:30 to run see Dad before he leaves for work (or else- I wouldn't see him till next Sun!) Then I fly back to bed so I can so-halfish catch up on sleep... :) Well, I packed in record speed- 45 min! 11:45 rolled around and I was freaking out I'd get lost in the middle of Lancaster! But all my fears were distinguished when... I recognized everything from last year- when we Jr's had went shopping and also when the Nurse took me to MedExpress for my burned heel. I arrived, and like none of the girls were around I'm like
ok, I didn't really expect to be the first one here, but fine! So LiMiT training started that evening...
(Sunday) Sweaty and tired... Ready for a break, but still we move on TOGETHER. Our team was moving on inch by inch, but we were getting closer to finishing the task. That is- almost. Until the groan was heard further down the line, "Oh, no! We disconnected!" Sooo. Back to the start again! Again? after we had come so far? Yes, we went back. It was disappointing, but as a team- WE WOULD DO THIS! I finally came tothe realization TDA's aren't that bad!
(Monday) Anticipation built the closer the time neared for the girls to come. Last minute finishing touches. 12:35 our first girl arrives. Then hundreds- yes, literally hundreds come pouring in- till all 240 were there.
Bad attitudes came as one looks at the schedule "You mean!?" Another sighs, "I give up! Everyone else is finished, let's just GO!" I flashed that
you-got-this-girl look to the counselor.
Supper-time rolls around not a bit too fast. The director's son, Caleb, just COULD-NOT wait! Then... "You didn't know Canadian's eat dessert first!?" he teased as he ate his Popsicle.
(Tuesday) With dampened spirits and drenched clothes we tramp to the zip-line. Just the thought of zip-lining turned my stomach. The trail down to the platform to catch the kids was slick, the plat-form was none-the-less slimy with mud. Neither of us 2 down there knowing what we're doing, the conditions, and all- it took 4 people to catch the one coming down! NO JOKE!
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| Playing in the gym for lack of anything else to do. |
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| Pyramid Ball in the rain!!! We losers did 20 jumping jacks for the girls... :) |
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| First Chorus practice!! Living Inside the Crayon Box |
Making new friends is totally amazing! The type you can share with and they feel with you. Those 9:30 pm walks in the rain. The horse running wild. EVERYTHING was wonderful! Even the rain, the mud, the slipping, the sliding, the falls. EVERYTHING!
(Wednesday) We stand in the dining hall gabbing, not knowing what to do with the girls being in their cabins already. Nelson & Elaine come out of the bathroom, both having suspicious looks on their faces...
ok? "Do any of you want to become certified?" Elaine calls.
Certified for what!? Well, all 6 of us tramp to the bathroom, Elaine gets a plunger in the midst of her laughter. And shows us what to do. We just stand there laughing historically. Melody (already certified from Tuesday) takes the plunger and gets the job done- but not without us devising another plan... One for Thursday night Talent Show. ;)
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| This thing probably had the work-out of it's life hauling all 6 of us around! |
(Thursday) As the week neared an end- I could tell my body had taken a toll. Head-ache, shoulder-ache (from falling in the rain), and stomach-ache (from all the laughing!) :( Well, what else? :) What God was doing in these ladies lives was incredible! Changing them for the better, drawing them closer to Himself. Showing them it's ok to be a woman.
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| ^Talent Show^ |
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| Thursday Night PARTY!!! |
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| Gumball Machine Good-night Huggers!! |
Then came Talent Show... A lot of people were bugging us Jr. Counselor's to do a play, because we had did one last year (First Anniversary Jr. Counselor Play!!!) ;) Well, at first we didn't have anything planned until- Wed. night when the episode arose... Thanks to the help of Nelson & Elaine, Brock & Grant Ruhl this thing wouldn't have gotten anywhere... Your suggestions were everything, the water idea though wasn't used cause this was girl's camp! ;) lol We pretty much re-played Wed. evenings scene with some additions... I wanted to add the video... but for some reason it won't play so, sorry!
(Friday) We couldn't have asked for better weather all week... even though it rained it helped us realize we need to be flexible and learn to deal with what God sends our way anyway! Closing program came- friends & family poured in then suddenly EVERYONE was GONE! Debriefing... then I headed for home, but not without getting myself lost in the middle of Lancaster! Well, actually I wasn't very lost at all, but I didn't know where I was... If only I had punched everything into my GPS before I had left, instead of thinking I could do it on my own... So I got home at 6:50... My brother sure were ready to see me, for some reason! They said they were bored! Very interesting! :)
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| Program |
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| Jr. Counselors |
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| Clean-up afterward |
Well, there's a rundown of my week- specifically posted for my friends who won't be talking much to me in church tomorrow... Very sorry, I couldn't stay!-if it wasn't for teaching Sunday School I doubt I'd be there at all!
