Wednesday

We have now been in camp for ten days. In ten days we will go home. That is the very definition of the half way point of the session. At this point we feel like we have been here for a long time and that we have LOTS of time left. It is easy to understand why this is so.

Our first week feels long. Days are broken down into moment to moment experiences, each fun and able to distract but we are still adjusting to camp life. It takes time for our brains to slow from the frantic pace of life in the real world. It takes time for our hearts to soften. We gradually come to love camp, a process that takes about 10 days (this is what my parents always told me). The slow adjustment is a vital part of the camp experience for it builds a strongly connected community that appreciates people more than program. It is not about the thing you are learning or the program you are watching… it is all about WHO you are with at that moment.

At this point we are in the camp groove and loving every delightful minute of it! Our activities are more enjoyable because the fun is no longer dependant on just that skill we are learning… it is enhanced by the friends that surround us. Campers and counselors alike take advantage of the quiet moments of the day for “DMC’s” (Deep Meaningful Conversations). We delight in simple routines (singing in the dining hall, laughing at the breakfast club joke, sleeping during rest hour, the apple cart in the morning and the watermelon table in the afternoon). All are wonderful in different ways that are hard to explain… we “get it”. The multitude of silly moments will not make sense to anyone who isn’t here but that is part of the magic. We are loving life; sharing an experience that will be remembered for years to come. These are the golden days of camp! We feel a sense of accomplishment for this transition, so we celebrate with a carnival!

Tonight’s carnival will be a blow-out food fest, game playing, dance party that will be a high water mark for many girls. They love it! We will start the evening off with some great NC BBQ (we have a HUGE smoker at the kitchen that has been going all night with a full load of pork), fresh corn on the cob, and slaw. If you don’t think your girl will find enough to eat with that menu, fear no longer! We will also be serving every type of carnival food you can imagine: funnel cakes, cotton candy, sno cones, grilled cheese, cookies, popcorn, and corn dogs. The highlight of the night will be the camp wide dance contest… a moment of fun that we will talk about for the rest of the session!

The overnight “glamping” trip with Cabin 5-12 at Thunderhead was a huge hit. Highlights included great meals and never ending snacks, a gigantic 11 team capture the flag game under the stars (everyone had glo-sticks to add spice to the moment), singing by the camp fire, and late night devotions. Campers chose to either sleep in the newly renovated houses or the big tents (big enough for a whole cabin). The campers and counselors loved it… Such a treat! We will have another HUGE overnight event on Thursday, the campers are already talking about it!

A couple things to make note of (good to include in letters!):

• The Hail Storm… we had a huge hail storm that lasted about 40 minutes late yesterday afternoon. The girls were in their cabins for clean up when it hit, very exciting!
• David Vining did Breakfast Club today… he won a contest and his prize was the chance to speak to the girls. He did a great job!
• Gervais and I do the Funnel Cakes at Carnival… and they are really good!

Breakfast was a wonderful egg casserole and fried ham. Lunch will feature Chicken Salad and Pimento Cheese sandwiches.

Thanks for everything.