"Rule 1- you can only use one eye, Rule 2- you have to make this weird noise, Rule 3- you can't smile."

We watched "Elizabeth's Life" in chapel this morning and watched how one conversation totally changed the outcome of her life. I guess we never really know the impact we're having on the people around us. 

While we were running around Lake Village all of my co-workers were back at HSJH for our final teacher day. I got my work done early and used a sick day to be here instead. It's still crazy though that school is really done. This is not just a weekend thing-- I get to be here till August 10th!

We spent our morning with Michael Brandwein, an MVP/celebrity/royalty of the camping world. He taught us all about how to effectively change kids' lives this summer. We're going to use their names, help them to learn how to solve problems, encourage them by describing, labeling and praising their behavior and playing some sweet games that will teach them some life long learnables too. I've been part of many of Michael's sessions and I always learn something valuable. I can use these tools at camp as well as all year long in my classroom.

Just at the end of lunch, ANNIE FAZZIO SHOWED UP! She's been home resting up from mono but was finally well enough to join us at staff training. All of her friends are beyond excited to have her here with us. Annie's just the best.

Chilly weather means sweatshirts and today three of those sweatshirts just happened to be the three most recent FBC sweatshirts. I love seeing them pop up all over the place.
Spencer Dees and Taylor Byrd are the two Warrior Coords this summer--they're going to be awesome. I'll miss seeing them when we split up into villages.

On one of our breaks today we played games out in the sun--real ones and ones we made up on the spot.

I just love these people. This part of staff training is so special before we're split up into villages and units. Right now we're altogether which is pretty cool.

Daily Ellyn and Sarah picture:

It's kinda crazy awesome to be on res staff with Ellyn, Mags, Molly and Annie this year. These girls have been such a huge part of my life for so many years but we've never gotten to do this together.

I love taking weird pictures with Molly. We don't know what these things are...

Right before dinner I found these goons in the fellowship room. Our hilarious conversation prompted...

...this collection of people at our dinner table. It was easily one of the most hilarious meals of my entire life. I think I cried from laughing so hard during most of it, had a quick sugar rush when Nick passed out Extreme Airheads and continued in our conversation from the fellowship room.

After our last two sessions of the night all the counselors gathered back in the River Village dining room for an ice-cream and wooden name tag making party.

Dancing ensued. I got a friendship bracelet from Anners. I played with friends. A name tag was created. More dancing happened. It was grand.

Living the dream staff training style

Do you start your day off with a starfish stretch? If not, I think you should consider it.

I got to be a part of chapel this morning with Maddie, Chrissy, Finney, Brad and Mike. We played some of chapel's greatest hits and introduced We Won't Be Shaken for the first time. Brad narrated the story of Maddie, Chrissy and Natalie as trees striving to be as tall as they could be.

I got to share about how when I started teaching I had so many people that I looked up too-- past teachers of mine and new teachers that I was working alongside--  that I measured myself by. Then I realized that I had students who were looking up to me. At camp I have counselors that inspire and encourage me to keep growing and stretching each summer while I have campers that are watching what I do and learning from me.

The bible talks about how since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses we must through off the sin that so easily entangles and run the raise laid out before us with perseverance. This summer we have this incredible cloud of witnesses around us that will be with us every step of the way. Still, even though these people are sweet, Christ is the ultimate measurement of what we need to strive towards.

Today I did a better job of remembering to take pictures. Good thing because I got some really fun ones.

 

I love that camp counselors are always willing to play games. Before lunch there was a spontaneous train of leap frog and a game of I'm A Tree going on.

We ate lunch all mixed-up (instead of with our cabins) and the flies (just the fake kind) were swarming the dining hall. I also supported the all staff rendition of Don't Stop Believing with water pitcher and silverware percussion.

The rest of our day was spent exploring all over camp with a group of thirteen incredible individulas. Team Humpback Whale was fearlessly lead by Keith. We were having fun before we even hit the trail.

Our first stop was at the Teams Course in the Oak Forest. First we bravely crossed over the lava field of Hawaii...

and then figured out how to balance the wobbling Whale Watching platform. This is a pretty solid team.

Ben ran into us out by the Deep Woods campfire and let us have a little photo shoot...

We all went exploring in Ghost Creek. We had to find a rock that we thought was really special and turn over sticks and rocks in the water to try to find bugs or other living things.

At Ghost Cabin Keith read us a story from "What's Under The Log" and we got to play Screaming Toes and a new game that Claire taught us.

Did you know that we don't get staff binders anymore? Instead we have these super-awesome, handy-dandy, pocket-size staff handbooks that rock. They've even got a whole Adventure section including pictures of how to set up the tents up at the South Pasture.

Mags and Liz have just become friends with each other and I loved getting to be goofy with them all day. They're two of the most hilarious people I know.

Our crew headed to Elfenrode to make a fire and share dinner together. Nothing like PB and Js for an appetizer and hobo dinners as the main course.

You haven't really eaten until you've cooked a hobo dinner over a campfire-- hamburger, onion, potato, carrot, ketchup and mustard all mixed together in tin foil. And while you're at it, you should also try a s'more casserole.

Minute Mysteries were the focus of our dinner conversation-- men dying over 53 bicycles, a guy who rides the elevator all the way up when it rains and two men that drink the same thing but only one survives. Confusing but so fun.

Sometime after we'd finished eating dinner we decided to go on a mission to a group cooking out nearby. While they were distracted by David eating his first s'more, we kidnapped Kenzie and took her back to our Giant Chair Jail. We sent back a ransom note asking them to save her from pain and turmoil by giving us a choreographed routine and chocolate.

There were a few attempts to get her back while we kept her safely locked up. We ended up kidnapping Mericia too... but she basically volunteered. Eventually we gave the girls their freedom back and they returned home again.

We all loved getting to just play all afternoon and night. I was so happy to be able to talk with Margaret, Maggie and the rest of our group as we hiked all over camp and hung out. These people are sweet and there is always more to talk about.

Our last event of the night was a four-part competition. We had to build a fire that would last for at least a minute, set up a hammock, act out a camp song and measure the circumference of a pine tree. Camp people love competitions.

My cabin talked about our dreams and hopes tonight and what that has to do with Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future."

So many of us shared stories of when we went through a desert period to find that God was truly taking care of us the whole time and making things work out even greater than we could have ever predicted in the end. I love that though we have high expectations and big hopes for this summer God has something even more awesome in store for us.

Welcome to Summer 2013

I pulled into the Lake Village parking lot on Friday and saw Alli Kenney and Tina Fiflis right away. They greeted me with shouts and hugs, the best way to great people. I found out I was in Iroquois with them (GREAT news) and they helped me carry in my things. The next hour was a blur of seeing old friends and introducing myself to new people.

 

We ate dinner with our cabins, met all of the full time staff and their families and then went to get ready for opening campfire. Iroquois dressed up as a group of tourists...

 

This summer we're trying something new that I'm excited about. All of the cabins will meet at the river village flagpole to show off their themes and take pictures before heading to the campfire ring.

I love getting to be here with Mags and playing lots. I love seeing Joel and these other friends running the show this year.

 

I love that Soaps just jumps up and starts leading the Burrito song without a moment of hesitation.

 

 

I love that I'm going to get to play with Ellyn allllllll summer long. I love having Tina, Alli and other former DC staff on Res this year.

 

I love reuniting with Jamie, Chrissy and Smooney, these girls that are some of my very best friends here at camp.

 

 

We had our first campfire inside the CAC featuring the Bee Brothers, One Camp, Hole In The Ground, Hey- My Name Is Joe and other camp favorites. We finished the campfire with Welcome To The Family but it was not the end of our night. From there we played games up in Kampen with Neil, talked about Camp Culture with Scott and then had the I'm 3rd devotion back in our cabins.

 

Saturday morning we had our first chapel of the summer. This is always one of my favorite parts of the day and it's one of my favorite places in all of camp. We watched Joel whip up some counselor soup and sang songs that have been part of this place for years.

The rest of the day was great too I just didn't take any more pictures... I'll work on that.

Other favorite moments on Saturday: finding Camp T history with Alex and Jamie, planning a new devotion, watching Kid President together, ant tag in Kampen, a heart to heart with Katrina an all staff mud hike, visiting mom at Quilt Camp with Mags and meeting new really fun people.