"I never would have gone down to the River to throw in a rock without you."

This is it. The day has arrived. Summer Camp 2012 is here and now well on it's way to being the best summer yet. 

Returning staff came a bit earlier to get our reunion excitement screaming and hugs out of the way. We all talked about one of our favorite memories from last summer and what we think might be challenges coming up. I love being able to connect with all of these people right away, to jump right into camp conversations.

Everywhere I looked all day everyone was smiling. So excited to be back with friends, back at their favorite place on Earth.

I love watching how people so quickly slip into this joy that totally affects your perspective. We're all coming from different places. We've all got our own baggage and jobs and lives and friends back at home but when we get here it's like a flip switches. Everything is manageable, people are your family and life is good.

Then the real excitement began when we got to welcome all of the new counselors. We were a bit excited.

There was a welcoming crew outside of the lodge as the rest of our staff arrived--counselors moving over from Day Camp, old campers, people we've been stalking on facebook and those that we've never met but will soon become friends.

As soon as everyone arrived we got to try out the black hole, shoot some guns and launch arrows.

 We channeled our inner Katniss. The odds were in our favor. You should sponsor us.

I was thrilled when I looked over during dinner and realized that Katie, Nick and baby Lincoln had arrived for the summer. I snatched baby Linc and walked him around the Lodge. I love this child. He grabbed onto my raincoat and kept a very stoic face as he checked out everyone in the dining hall.

Opening Campfire was a celebration of craziness, screaming songs and fire building.

Chippewa cabin went as #camptproblems.

the real world judges my camp necessities #camptproblems, why do I have so many vnecks? #camptproblems, so much string and so little time #camptproblems, I'm still a week away from my favorite place in the world #camptproblems

And while campfire was pretty fun, it was definitely missing something. Kids. Approximately 500 of them. Next week's campfire will be more complete with all of them.

We talked about camp culture and then got to play some games like tape jousting and robot master. We played a new one that was a smash up of the number game and freeze family awkward photographs.  I was a fan of Zombie Flesh-eating Apocalypse.

One I'm Third devotion later and we made it to the end of day one. I'm so glad it's here. This week is going to be awesome.