The Amazing RACE

Girls Camp this year…oh where do I start? I've put off blogging about it for a few months because I've had to let my feelings about it settle. It was difficult and humbling in a lot of ways.

Some of you wanted to know if I did crafts. I was asked to do the crafts again, but after two weeks of not feeling calm enough to accept the responsibility—I realized my answer needed to be no. If something is meant to be, the kind of angst I was feeling should not have been present.

Consequently it turned out I was needed elsewhere as the assistant camp leader for my girls. So I got to spend my days running around with them instead of hanging out in a craft room.

The theme was The Amazing R.A.C.E. Our youth leaders (girls ages 16 and 17) came up with it.
Remember to Act as Christ and Endure. I thought it was pretty good.

Each ward picked their own color t-shirt and team name. We went with NEON! Neon orange—which I loved because I could find the girls from afar. If we had a bigger budget I would love to get a t-shirt for every day of camp just so I can keep a better eye on everyone.

Last year was physically difficult (due to incapacitating back pain), this year was emotionally difficult. I love my girls, and I think that's why. I want them to have a good time. I want them to participate and build relationships with one another. I want them to make memories, great ones that will last, to build their testimonies that will cause them to come again next year.

However—I think some girls come for their own reasons and with their own ideas of what the camp experience should be. And ALL of them are teenagers. I give you permission to read between the lines here. Read a lot between the lines.

Good thing I love them!

What did I learn? Patience. Better leadership. Greater love. Inner calm, inner calm, inner calm. And appreciation for the adult leaders who helped ME.

Oh yeah, and chiggers. I learned about chiggers.

Don't think it's possible to attend camp and not come back changed. If you want to see what you are made of, go to girls camp.