Summer Camp Eve

I wish you could have been at chapel Friday morning. Mack and Liz White called it with God of Wonders, Give Me Faith, Our God and Soul On Fire. 

Then Tom and J came out as the 175 year old version of themselves. Inspired by Inside Out, they shared some of their memories of the past of staff training. If you've been around for awhile, you'd remember their stories too.

Some were funny, some marked growing experiences and some really shaped their story at camp.

Then each counselor wrote down a core memory from this week of Staff Training and hung them up. I loved seeing what moments stood out to these counselors.

Our morning was filled with learning about bloodborne pathogens, Equestrians, DC counselors, CILTs and bed bugs. In the afternoon I taught FAB (Fearless Advanced Braceleters) Clinic to the counselors who will teach it this summer.

Staff Training week ends with a theme dinner just like every other week of Overnight Camp. Tonight we represent our country/hometown/school. The most conflict-filled moment had to be when the Purdue kids screamed, "BOILER UP!" while surrounding the IU table screaming their own Hoosier chant. 

It's been quite the week back at the 'ol Camp Tecumseh YMCA. Lucky for us, we've got 9 weeks ahead to love thousands of kids that will come to love this place.

Peanut and I drove back to Indy for the weekend. We went to bed but I set my alarm to wake up at 3:45 am. I'm crazy. But this is the first of 5 HSE Wyld Life trips that I will not be attending. Goodness, I wish I could be there. But, the next best thing was to wake up and go see them all off on their trip. I'm so glad I got to hug all the leaders, greet kids and pray over the trip before they pulled out of the parking lot.

I fell back asleep and did get to sleep in. Then our day was filled with Starbucks (just a step above camp coffee ya know), Target necessities, lunch and a movie with Maddie and Line, repacking/organizing, dinner with Han and driving back to Tecumseh. 

Camp starts Sunday but I like to be ahead of the game and get settled Saturday night. That way Sunday can be as stress-free and as sweat-free as possible before the kids arrive. 

We've got the bunk beds from the Yurt (which actually resemble cribs) in the Longhouse now. The counselor's bunk beds are flat against the wall which means there is so much room for activities. All girl devotions just got a whole lot more comfortable. 

Michelle and I moved into both of our cabins, moved an extra bunk bed back to the right cabin, found homes for the bike/tables/equipment that had been abandoned on our porch, found a baby groundhog, reunited with the DC coords who have just arrived and decorated the Longhouse. 

Tomorrow the real fun starts. 30 CILT girls will move into the Longhouse. All 40 Session 1 CILTs will meet for the first time. We'll have swim checks, dinner in the Party Room and Opening Campfire. Tomorrow night we'll fall asleep in a cabin with 12 people, 12 fans spinning and a bed time story. I can hardly wait.