Second Day at Camp Champion

Lights out was supposed to occur at 11pm Tuesday night. At 11:06pm, I rallied the girls to bed. Inevitably there were the few giggles and squeals and chattering but eventually they all fell asleep. Then the wind picked up and carried itself through our open screened windows, making me glad I had socks on and I NEVER sleep with socks especially on my temperature foot (the foot I leave sticking out of the corner of blanket that lays haphazardly on the rest of my body). Of course, I'm not able to sleep. I wake up to every sound and "movement." Our cabin was raised up on stilts. And I truly felt like our cabin did some shaking. Then at 500am someone's alarm blares throughout the campsite!!!

"What is that?!" someone cried and all the rest of us shared the same sentiment. And that ruined the sleep that I had slipped into for about 2 hours. After that, I was tossing and turning because in my mind I knew I would have to wake up the minute I found sleep again. Well 7am came around eventually and we gently woke the girls up. And they were all pretty willing to wake up for the most part. We got ready and sent them to the flag ceremony. I love the flag ceremony. I love to see girls raise the flag and salute that symbol of freedom and recite the Pledge of Allegiance with all the valor and pride a citizen could and should have. Camp songs ensued and man, I gotta say...in my day, we were nuttier, louder, and crazier with our songs.

Breakfast was served. I love tortillas, I love hash browns and I love eggs. Put all of that on one plate with a ton of cheese and salsa!! Yums! And melons galore! Melons, melons, melons! I think I ate too much melons but it was soooooo delicious! Then it was solo/focus time. All the girls spread out throughout the camp site and were given the opportunity to scripture study or meditate. This was my favorite. I got to sit still and read and really feel the inspiration of the Spirit. I read out of the Relief Society book entitled Daughter of a King. It is one thing to be told you are special by every leader of the church growing up. It is a totally different thing to actually FEEL like you, the tiny, insignificant YOU were made intentionally for great things. God truly does cherish his Spirit daughters and sitting in all that nature, cool lake breezes, and earthy fragrances, I could FEEL this...I could feel being cherished and useful. I'm glad they allowed us this solo time and I hope the girls got something out of their own personal meditation.

And then ON TO THE ACTIVITIES!! Level two's got to do archery, BB-gun shooting, and go-carts! Of course, I tagged along with the group doing archery first. I had been DYING to try it since the day I found out the camp had archery lessons. I let all the girls go first and watched curiously. Some girls were excellent shots. Others launched their arrows way over the target...long shots. They were the long distance shooters while the excellent shots were the sprinters of archery. I don't know what I'm saying...BUT when it was my turn, I was giddy as a school girl. I nocked my first arrow and released. Landed in black. Nocked the second arrow and let her fly....in the red. Released the third...red again. And a fourth landed in the red. And then a fifth landed right in the yellow...the middle...the bulls-eye! How's about that!! I did my victory dance and shouted exclamations of my awesomeness. The second round I pretty much did the same thing but my last bow didn't land in the middle yellow...it was the outer yellow. I blame that on the wind...yes, it did get windy. But I have to say...I did awesomely well.

Then it was go-cart time! Now I love go-cart racing. This track, though was narrow and there wasn't really any racing going on because of how narrow it was. Just making rounds. One of my girls, though...I predict a speeding ticket or two in her future. Pedal to the metal, peel out the lot kinda girl. =)  And at her last round...she totally passed up the girl in front of her. Scared the be-jeebus outta me because there truly was no room on that track for that type of shenanigans. BUT she did it and she didn't wreck the carts, thankfully.

Speed racer

Then BB Guns!! This was fun. Not nearly as good as I was at archery but I still shot the man in the nose if not the eye like I had aimed for. He's still gonna die for messing with the wrong girl. And I have to mention the guy teaching the class...he had dreads...and I no likey dreads. Nope, I do not. And that was distracting during his whole schpeal as he was explaining what a safety was blah blah...dirty dreads swinging...they sent goosebumps down my arms. I know dreads may not be as dirty as my mind would think...but still....they look awfully dirty and in need of desperate care!

And then it was time to welcome the fourth year girls back! On the first day, they were sent off to the other side of the lake for the real camping. The tent-dwelling, dig a hole variety bathroom, cook everything on the fire camping. The kind of camping I grew up with. With story-telling by fire and snipe hunting by moonlight. At least, that is what I imagine they were doing. Well, they canoed back to the main camp and all the girls gathered on the shoreline in a huge, disarrayed line cheering for our fourth years! And it felt so...patriotic and...I forget the word I'm searching for...homecoming. It's amazing to see how much the younger girls look up to these older girls and how much they admire them. I heard one of the young girls shout, "Pearl!!! We missed you!" And similar shouts to that....and I just don't know what about that got to me but it did! And then from the back of my mind an image popped up of Dallace greeting us at the pearly gates and shouting, "Hey, guys! I missed ya'll!" And I stepped away from the group to wait for that feeling to wash over and through me. Homecoming...the sweet taste of making it home (home in Heaven) and greeting all our loved ones and knowing we made it!! All of us made it! I don't know...spiritual camps like this can get to me.

Well, shortly thereafter, my replacement arrived and it was time for me to say bye-bye. And I was truly sad to go because I would miss all the fun and interacting with my girls. I will miss the skit. And I will miss the wall and the zip line and kayaking and canoeing. I will miss the screamer and s'mores and testimony night. I will miss a good chunk of the best things about camp BUT I have my day and a half to remember. Girls, hope everything else was as awesome or even more spectacular for your remaining time there! Can't wait to hear all the fabulous stories when you guys get back! Lots and lots of love from your zaney, short, looks like a YCL adult leader!

First Day at Camp Champion

Well, folks! I spent a day and a half with my girls at Camp Champion. And it was AMAZING! I definitely felt like I was in a scene from The Parent Trap. We bunked in cabins that didn't need A/C because we were lakeside and the breeze from the lake kept everyone pretty comfortable. In fact, at night it got pretty chilly. Normally I sleep with no cover or blanket but I found myself tucking deep into the warmest crevices of my very old, very cheap sleeping bag.

So the day started (Tuesday) at 730am at the chapel. We loaded our vehicles, lugged our big items into the truck, and took going away pictures for the mamas. And then we were off! Some of the girls rode with me and we had a blast singing at the top of our lungs some of MY favorite Disney songs. Also, some Glee renditions and Cold Play. The trip was about an hour and a half.

After orientation and all the BORING stuff, the girls split into their camp levels, and we started the FUN stuff. I was with the level 2 (2nd year girls) and the first thing we did was icebreakers. It was fun to see the girls so active, running around, and interacting with other girls from other wards(congregations).

THEN, we did the high ropes and power pole! I was so impressed by the girls and their willingness and courage to try it all. It was truly inspiring to watch them give it their best. Some getting further than others but all getting further than they expected of themselves. Soooo inspiring...that I decided to try it out. I did the high ropes first...the tight rope. I made it from one end of the rope to the next! Woot woot! Go, Sabrina...er Butterfly<--my camp name. Yup, I was cool enough to get one! Oh yeah, bay-bay!

High rope/Tight rope...not so bad!

AND then I got crazy and decided I'm going to climb the power pole, too! The tight rope was traumatizing enough with my fear of heights and all; but I got through it fairly well. Now the power pole. Climbing up, I could feel the bile rising in my throat as I got higher and higher. I tried out some breathing exercises and went through my mantra Ham Sah--You are....and added things like BRAVE. COURAGEOUS. A noble daughter of God who is capable of overcoming anything. I got to the top, placed my right foot on the top of that pool and got stuck. The pole was swaying, and so incredibly wobbly. From the ground it didn't look like it wobbled much. But from up on the top, I felt like it was going to fall over. I remember the thought, "Did the wind really pick up this much during my turn on this treacherous pole?" running through my head.

Climbing? Climb away!

I wanted to do something like this at the top but..... yeah

I heard one of the girls call up to me, "You can do it!" And then another girl, "Don't fall!" At the word fall, I almost gave up. I really had a hard time getting that left leg to come to the top. Each time I tried, the pole felt like it was going to teeter to the right and collapse with me on it...going down...down...down. But then my leg started to burn (thank goodness for Yoga, which helped me last the whole five minutes I took to get that leg up), and I had to do something. I took one deep breathe, pushed off my right knee, and brought that left leg up like it was a matter of life and death....well if not for the harness...it could have been. But my leg was up, I caught my balance, and took a moment to let my heart rate get back to normal...well, as normal as it could. I wanted to bust out the crane move from karate kid soooooooo bad! But when I lifted my right leg, it was just too much. The dizziness was catching up and I still had to jump out to the trapeze bar and grab a hold of that. So I took a few more breathes, recited my mantra a couple more times, and then took that leap of faith. I caught the bar, held on for 3 seconds, and FELL! And when I was lowered to the ground, I felt even more grateful for how short I am and how much closer to the earth I was. That gravity does not play around...the closer you are to earth, the better and safer! P.S. there is video/footage of this daring act of mine...I will post it when I snag it from the sneaky people who captured the terror and frightened look on my face during this whole deal!

Ready and.......JUMP!!!

Then we went to the pool. And that water was FREEZING. No joke. I stuck my leg in and my leg went numb instantly! So what do I do? I decide to try out the water slide. And once was enough. The minute my body hit the water, I was afraid of drowning because my limbs and LUNGS went numb. I doggy paddled out of that water like Rose from Titanic, teeth chattering and face blue and dead-looking. What the hellio was I thinking?!?!

Dinner was a bust. It was school cafeteria lasagna which was bleh. But the salad and breadsticks were yummy. And dessert was sherbet! Then the girls were allowed to do crafts and that was amazing. These girls are just so crafty and so creative. I need to start scrapbooking and strengthen my creative side again.

That evening after all the activities were done, and the girls were showered and fresh-smelling again, I taught them a little hula dance. And I'm going to end this blog a bit sappy. I have spent so much time with these girls and have grown to love them all individually. Teaching them a part of my culture and seeing them soak it up and love it...well, it touched my heart. And it made me grateful that I was able to teach them something from home and from the heart. I really do pray that these girls understand and know how super special and amazing they are; that they are strong and stay true to their faith. XOXOXOXO

Camp Inch...hee hee

So Girls’ Camp starting Tuesday!! Woo hoo!! I’ve been feeling so super duper excited because girls’ camp has always been a fond memory of mine. I remember the first year I went to camp and it was GLORIOUS!! And back then, it was tent camping and no other kind of camping. Out in the dirt with the bugs, poop/pee in a real outhouse, and sleeping in complete, pitch-black darkness.

Yes, the real camping...

You made everything you ate by campfire. And that was the year my parents purchased my first camping utensils, plates, and bowls--they were made of tin and I felt friggin authentic for having them. That first year I learned about Dutch oven cooking and I still remember my first taste of Dutch oven peach cobbler. Everything we made that year for some reason tasted wildly delicious and I loved the feeling of being so….RAW.

They taught us about first aid (which I was so way ahead because my dad always had us learn CPR, First Aid for a Family Home Evening activity before going away on adventures like camp), about building awesome fires with two sticks, and I learned how to doggy paddle that year. That was my first year and that year I also learned about chiggers and ticks. Because I got attacked by them. They checked us everyday for chiggers and ticks. And (this might sound weird) but I felt so accomplished when my sweet friend found that enormous tick on my left near-butt-cheek. My words were, “Oh really? Whooaaaaa! Tee hee hee.” Yes, folks I was giggling. Bugs love me. But I got to watch as the nurse slowly and firmly pull that sucker out with some very fine-point tweezers. Then we burned that tick up!!!! And then I was invested with chiggers along my waist…yes, my first year was pretty GLORIOUS. =)~

But all those camp years were memorable. Especially the last one, which I got to go with my little sister. Suzee, remember….Ewe are special. LOL. And here I am again. Twenty-eight and rearing ready to go and be part of all my girls’ experience. At least for two days. This camp we are going to...we'll be bunking in cabins and have canoe rides and there's a zip line thingy. AND ARCHERY!! Gonna get my archery on Robin Hood style! And food will be catered/served to us each day. Kind of reminds me of The Parent Trap...the original movie with Hayley Mills.

So yes, this whole weekend I’ve been excited but underneath that excitement, I’ve felt also a little wave of nervousness and nausea. And I just couldn’t understand why!!! I thought maybe because I think I’m not cool enough, savy enough, or hip enough for the girls. But come on…we all know I’m the coolest! LOL. Is it because I won't have internets for a couple of days? NOOOO. Well maybe a little bit but not quite.  And as I said my evening prayers tonight, it hit me like a two by four in the face. Brought tears to my eyes even...

I am SOOOO excited for this!!

This is going to be the first time I leave my son to go out of town. FIRST time ever. I know he’ll be in good hands, and he’s been on plenty of road trips with Grandma and Grandpa where he has left me for a day…but still, I’m feeling that nervousness. Plus, he’ll be four next Thursday!!! If only girls’ camp weren’t taking place this same week…I’d probably be even more thrilled. But knowing me, I won’t get rid of this feeling until I’m back home and have in my arms. Yeah, I know…I have separation anxiety but I think for the most part, all good mothers do.

Anywho's a whatsit....PEACE AND BLESSINGS YA'LL. PEACE AND BLESSINGS!