Pictures...finally

The summer ended well. Bittersweet goodbyes. I needed for it to be over so that I could rest, but I will sincerely miss everyone there. Here are some photos.

The first two are of breakfast fires. Every morning, breakfast would be sent out to the tents and cooked over a cast iron griddle on the fire. I'm gonna miss that at lot. The next picture is of the woods. I'm gonna miss those woods. Who knew that they would become so familiar? Then we have the lookout on top of the "mountain" (it's really the edge of a plateau), then a sign that seems to me a bit unnecessary. = ). Then two pictures of tents. One from inside and one from outside. I slept in a tent very identical to these all summer. Then we have Wednesday Invitations where campers could go talk to their counselors. Then me and some of the female staff, then the night sky (another thing I am going to miss a LOT). Then, more beauty shots. = ) Hope you like them...I'm not really in any of them, but it shows you a bit of where I was. Enjoy!

Boy Howdy!
The summer is almost over. I am in my second to last week here and I must say that I am excited to be coming back to Goshen soon. This has been an awesome experience and I know that I am leaving having acquired some amazing friends, but it will be a relief to go back to school. Even though, that will bring on its own set of stress what with papers and such.

But tonight, I am going to sleep under the stars and that is enough for now.
Posted at 18:54 #

It has been a long week
I am exhausted. We had all high schoolers this week, which meant watching for gender dynamics. With good reason! Two hours after the campers had gotten here, a guy and a girl had already declared themselves a couple!

I counseled by myself for the first time and I KNOW that there was a lot of stuff that I missed. I wish I had more free time, but I'm running around so much. We went to a water park, which was great fun. My girls this week were pretty amazing. We all laughed and had a TON of fun. They talked with British accents and sang songs from musicals and danced! lol. But it was also a lot of always having to know where they are and constant questions about the schedule and checking to make sure that what they are wearing is camp appropriate. My brain is in need of rest as much as my body is.

I think I might be missing a dance party right now, though, so I'm gonna take off. = )
Posted at 21:46 #

Friday June 29
Another post which got lost somewhere in cyberspace:

Music I have been astounded by how much I love music and miss it when I don't get to listen to it.

This week I spent working in the kitchen, which produced a lot of laughter and chaos and even tears. But now, the job has become a bit easier and I am tempted to ask for another week here, even if I don't think it will happen. But I am also kind of looking forward to being with little girls. I have already heard some horror stories of kids who are homesick or physically sick and wet their beds or throw up, etc. All that fun stuff that means you don't get to sleep through the night. Understandably, I am scared. = )

I may only have time/opportunity to update on my weekends from now on, but I will try not to forget about it. = ). As is, I'm on my way to something. Talk to you later!

~M
Posted at 10:55 #

June 21
I posted this on June 21st, but I don't think it showed up...

"Lately Things have been going okay here. I'm feeling very overwhelmed with little time to myself during this orientation week. And not feeling like I really knew what I was coming into here. Well, I guess I thought I knew and I was wrong which is worse than just not knowing. lol."
Posted at 10:53 #

Porcupines
Hello. I need to apologize for not updating more recently. I was doing so well there for a while, but my internet access became very limited once the campers arrived. I have had three tents of girls so far.

The first week had 7 girls between the ages of 12 and 14. They were awesome. Really easy to lead and pretty self sufficient. The second week I had 9 girls who were 8-10 years old and they were tougher. That week involved crying and arguments and the campers getting annoyed with each other which resulted in talking behind each others backs. It was pretty intense for me even though I had an assistant to help me out. It was a pretty funny week though since a lot of them were coming to camp for the first time ever. This week I have 8 campers age 7-9 and they are just soo cute. And SMALL! One of them barely comes up to my waist! It is a mini week of camp, only from Wednesday to Friday so that they can get a feel for camp and maybe come for a full week next year.

But I should get to the reason that the title of this post is porcupines. The night before last (Tuesday night) I had planned to sleep in a tent with one of the other girl counselors, Heidi. She had already gone to bed by the time I walked up there, but as I neared her tent I heard rustling. I wondered why she was still awake an hour and a half after walking up there to bed, but shrugged and pulled the tent flap open only to see two huge porcupines INSIDE THE TENT at the foot of her sleeping bag! They were chewing on her guitar case! Sometimes she likes to play and sing her campers to sleep but apparently, it is appetizing for porcupines. She was in such a deep sleep that I had to yell in order to get her to wake up. I was just worried that she would move wrong and get a leg full of quills! But thankfully, the porcupine closest to her feet felt her moving and went the other way. We stomped on the wooden floor of the tent until they left and I was shaking SO BAD and laughing at the absurdity of the entire situation. I just remember saying, "OH my God!" over and over again. Not using the Lord's name in vain...it was a prayer. This experience is in the top 5 most surreal moments of my life. = )
Posted at 10:51 #

Today
Hey there! I haven't had much time to blog recently. Busy Busy Busy! Tuesday was my birthday (happy 20th to me!) and it was really rainy here, but I got one present from "family," one from my mentor here and a few phone calls that were GREATLY appreciated. I have been working hard outdoors trying to help get everything ready for the campers who get here in 10 days. The thing that I have been looking forward to the most here at camp happened today: the rest of the counseling staff arrived! It is nice to be with everyone who will be working with me this summer and to not be the only new person here. Previously, I felt like I was! I am getting geared up and psyched to run around with these kids. I know that it will be a trying time and I will be pushed a lot. Challenge will come my way, but I just am ready for a bit of toughness I think. And I am ready to question things a bit.

I have been asking a lot of questions about God lately (as in this past year). And sometimes I wonder if I still believe in God, which is a hard question to ask when people look at you like you are bad Christian for asking that question or infer that God doesn't like it when people question Him. But I am ready and I hope that I can find people around me who are ready to take that journey with me and breathe questions. Sometimes I feel like all I do is breathe questions. God help me...

But on a fun note, I am working here with my friend Chris who I grew up with but hadn't had much time to hang out with because he started attending EMU (yeah, I know). He arrived today-exciting! But his girlfriend, who I hadn't yet been introduced to, arrived on my birthday with a present from Chris and his family (the one I mentioned earlier). It wasn't weird at all! It was wonderful in fact. And I am excited to see what is going to be happening this summer to come. Well, I gotta go get back to my 40 degree weather. Brrr! Send me letters! = )

Mercy Oyana Spruce Lake Retreat RR1 Box 605 Canadensis, PA 18325
Posted at 22:21 #

Day Four?
Still not sure what to do or where to go, but I am starting to forge friendships. And I am living up all the "free" time I get since I don't have campers yet. One thing to note: the nights are COLD! so cold that my sleeping bag, which is usually fine for cold nights, is not enough. In fact, I don't sleep well because I'm curled up in such a tight ball. The temperature is supposed to rise so I am just anxious for that. Well, I'm off to the pool. Write more later!
Posted at 19:56 #

Whoa
Whoa, it's weird that this is already set up. I just got to Spruce Lake yesterday, I haven't even been around for 24 hours yet! And I've already been put to work clearing out some wood area for teepees that are going up. I guess we're jumping right in.

So what is going through my mind right now? A lot of nervousness. More than I thought I would have. But now that I am here I feel underprepared. I don't know where to go or who I am supposed to be with. I hope that the longer I am here, the clearer it will be.

I've been asking EVERYONE for advice on how to be a counselor and I've gotten some good stuff. Some tips on how to get campers to go to sleep and how to enforce rules. Whew! God help me.

What excites me? Well, I can't wait for everyone else to get to camp so that I can have other counselors to hang out with. Other than that, I just don't know what to expect. If YOU have any advice just let me know...facebook me or email me. = )
Posted at 11:46 #