What's not to love about camp?

I love how Annie and Maggie are such good friends to each other all the time. During the rest of the year I'm used to talking to them all the time but at camp we don't get to have those one on one talks. I love having Annie in the Longhouse because I do get to see her everyday. But with Mags up in Lake Village our times together are sporadic--that just makes them more exciting.

I love that I know I'll get to see the Day Camp counselors like Colleen, Erin and Irene at chapel everyday. And when it's only the RV in the Green Cathedral I get to sit with the Warrior CILTs like Emily and Macey.

Friday morning brought out service project at St. Elizabeth nursing home. Last session I was away for the wedding in Michigan, so I was extra excited to go and see some of my friends there.

A few CILTs have volunteered in a setting like this before and some visit their own grandparents in places like this, but for many this is a brand-new experience.

We sit and visit with our new friends and then the kids share flagpole and chapel songs that they've prepared before hand.

I don't know how much of the songs they can really understand because they're unfamiliar with the lyrics, but they have giant smiles on their faces and are obviously so excited to be surrounded by all of these young kids.

After spending our days with our adopted eight and twelve year olds this is quite the change of pace.

I love getting to hang out with my friend Ruth. She's my go to person every time I visit and we talk about the latest changes at St. E, her new crafts, about camp and teaching.

Back on the bus the kids shared stories they had heard and what they had learned about the residents. We played iPod shuffle the rest of the way back because this group is just so good at it.

We played Running Charades the rest of the morning. The CILTs were broken up into four different teams in Main Field.

In each round a counselor would tell the first runner something to act out for their team. Whoever guessed it correctly ran back to the counselor to get the next item on the list to act out. Usually we make lists of movies and TV shows, but this time each counselor made a list of their seven favorite things. Can you guess which list belongs to each counselor?

It was boiling hot out there in the Tecumseh Dust Bowl but still really fun.

When clinics were released I was so glad to find Lilly. That morning I had challenged her to find two ways to be exceptionally, out of this world nice to at least two people. She gave me a friendship bracelet and then told me about all the ways she had shown kindness that morning.

In the afternoon I took a break from finishing up last sessions Parent Letters to go to pop stop. When I got to the Trading Post I discovered they had just received a shipment of brand new royal blue quarter zip sweatshirts. I love it and had to get one right away. So did Annie and Jamie and Madison and a bunch of other counselors. I'm expecting them to be a very big hit.

Friday night equals Super Hero and Cartoon night.

The CILTs sang the Phineas and Ferb theme song at Flagpole to go along with the theme. Arielle and I enjoyed being Phil and Lil from the Rugrats.

I love great costumes and dressing up with friends.

All of the camp kids were dressed up for the night too.

Look at these best friends-- Sar and Annie, Jeremy and Eric, Haley and Natalie.

The CILT counselors came as the entire Rugrats crew-- Colleen as Chuckie, Sar and Arielle as Phil and  Lil, Jamie as Angelica and Morph as Tommy.

 Baby Lincoln got to be Baby Simba on Pride Rock during the Lion King. Burke makes a great Pongo.

Arielle was stoked to see Sarah's Buffy costume. Coll was impressed with Ellen as Wonder Woman.

During Trading Post I was so excited to be reunited with Rachel and Kathleen. Camp friends have become some of my best real life friends and it's strange to not have Rach here with me after so many summers together.

Ellen and Sarah were awesome in this week's drama skit.

I don't think Alli wanted to stop being Harry Potter. Jamie brought (Barbie) Olivia Odle to campfire with her.

Next I was reunited with Katie Quille and Sarah Scott. Katie and I met when we were CILTs together in 2003 and was one of my very best camp friends during my early years as a counselor.

Sarah Scott and I go all the way back to Girls State in High School before she started as a counselor here too. I'm so thankful that even though we're separated by distance and busy schedules she continues to be a consistent friend. When she left tonight she said, "Ok, see you at Christmas!" and even though it's far away I can't wait to see her again.

I'm so thankful for the people that are the main characters of this summer. Friends like Arielle and Jamie  and Colleen and Morph that I get to spend practically all day everyday with. People like Annie that are so loving and positive and helpful. This is an awesome staff, an incredible camp family to be a part of.

The LV Color War shields led the way to week 3 closing campfire.

Gathered there were even more old friends. These are the people that I spent my first couple summers working with. They were on Resident and Day Camp staff in those years and the ones I first learned to be a counselor alongside. It was so fun having all of them back again.

It was awesome having all of them up front handing out four-year bandanas to kids. Such a blast from the past.

I love that Closing Campfire is the event of the week. Every person at camp is gathered together for the grand finale to the session. I get to see Warrior girls like Devon and see Mags for a second.

Everyone does their cheers and there is a series of clinic performances. I'm continually impressed by how brave these kids are to perform in-front of 700 people. We had martial arts, show choir and hip-hop from both River and Lake Village.

I was really impressed by the Sweet Tea Trio show choir performance and by how well those River girls whipped their hair. Willow would be impressed. And it was a special treat when Jamie, Arielle and I got to join Country Line Dancing for this week's Happy Girl performance.

I love this camp. I love these campers. I love our traditions. I love the way camp makes people feel. I love what we learn and value in this place. I love how faith is alive here.

The Saturday morning between sessions is kind of funny since none of the CILTs are leaving. We get to help with adopted cabin check-outs but then have the weekend to rest up for the second half. I'm glad our time is only partway through because I still want to get to know these kids so much better.

Today I'm thankful for my old campers like Erin O'Farrell, current CILT girls like Emma Servies, and younger girls that I love like Lucy Welch. So many generations of awesomeness.

Week 3 was a great one. Now to rest up before the next one begins.