Dutiful Daughter

I don't really have anything to say, but news that my dear family at home checks my blog regularly for an update gives me a wee bit of a guilt trip.
So here is the Woodsman Counselling Adventure update.
It rained pretty steadily for the first three days, a teeny bit of sun on the fourth, hard rain on the fifth, and then good strong sun for the sixth and seventh days.
Because we are outside ALL THE TIME there, with no real "indoors", no heat in the tents, and no dryer of any kind, we were pretty muddy, damp, and cold all week. If it hadn't been for the few days of sun, I'm pretty sure there would have been a camper mutiny!
I was having the time of my life though! Being outside 24/7 was a first in a very long time! I loved not having a real strict schedule, and I tried to pass on some of my enthusiasm to my campers. I'm pretty sure I had the sweetest tent of girls ever in time, because they were real troopers and were basically the best group in the whole camp.
One girl got super homesick the second day and that was a challenge because she was very persistent on wanting to go home, which was "conveniently" right here on Quadra Island. It totally brought me back to when I was 12, going to camp for the first time, and desperately wanting familiarity! (Yeah...I was the crying camper)
Fortunately, I managed to get her to stick it out (mostly by keeping her busy alllll the time) and she ended up loving her week! That felt good :)
Zoe and I were in charge of one activity block, and it was her brilliant idea to create a new activity, which was dubbed, "Woodsmanship & Weaponology". Basically the most gong-show hour of the day! First of all we would "blend in with our surroundings" by putting mud on our faces, and making fern skirts, or something crazy like that. Some of the prissier campers had a hard time with it!!! I showed them my "cougar scar" (from that time when I wrestled with a cougar, and strangled it with my bare hands!....) on my arm, and awed them all....until they found out later it was acutally a burn I obtained while baking. Erk.
Then we hiked out to a really cool bunker Mike built a couple years ago, and invented weapons of self-defense and did skits showing how to use them! One of mine included two blades of grass to shove up your enemy's nose....very creative, I know.
My co-counsellor turned out to be pretty fun, and we got along pretty well all week! I discovered her crazy side, and she defnitely kept the kids entertained at night by telling them her "most embrarassing moment" stories!
Our "tent times", the time after chapel when we would discuss things about God and stuff, went really well, which was good because that is what I'm always most nervous about. Actually, two of our girls gave their lives to Jesus, which was really neat!
I had to give my "testimony" on the last night, which was a huge stretch for me, because I HATE speaking in front of people especially about something so personal! I was so nervous, but the feedback I got was positive, and hopefully I encouraged some of the campers.
Overall it was a really great week, maybe the best of my summer so far. I was sad to say goodbye to my girls, but very tired afterwards.
From Friday until tomorrow is Staff Retreat, so I'm trying to catch up on my rest before another crazy Family Camp.
Tomorrow is the "fancy brunch"...yay. (I'm still in grub mode)

Exciting New Adventures

So I have been working in the kitchen for just over four months now, and I'm not gonna lie, I'm getting pretty tired.
Luckily for me, Irwin, the director, understands that! This week I'm completely out of the kitchen and doing something completely different!
I'll be heading out to the Woodsman camp two days from now, co-counselling a group of 7-8 girls between the ages of 10-12.
This is so far out of my comfort zone! I feel so ill-equipped for counselling...which is partially why I volunteered for the kitchen in the first place!
I am also going to be counselling with another girl here that...lets be honest now...I don't particularly like. I mean its not like we're enemies, I think we both just know and accept the fact that we will probably never be buddy buddy. I was a wee bit upset last night, but I've come to terms! with it, and I think it will be ok.
Besides these minor setbacks, I'm actually very very excited! I absolutely love the rustic Woodsman camp....its located on a nice freshwater lake; we'll all sleep and eat under tents, no showers, or flushing toilets....ahhh...that , to me, is camping! :)
Plus its in the middle of nowhere, so you feel like you're totally in another world. I love it!
Anyway, I'm just feeling very crazy right now, with my apprehensions and anticipations colliding in a frightening way...
Pray for me this week that I will have a positive impact on my campers lives, and that me and my co-counsellor will get along :P

Disturbing Discoveries

Whilst allowing my tired feet to soak the other night, I stumbled across something very troubling.

Two small warts on my right foot.

On below my index toe, the other on my second-to-last toe (the one by the pinky toe). They are disgustingly white rimmed, with horrific fuzzies flowering inside. I wished to vomit.

I've never had warts before...

How do I get rid of them?

September Solutions

I feel like I'm already on the "Home" stretch!
Its only the beginning of July, but the last few months have gone by SO incredibly fast that I'm expecting these next two to melt away as fast as ice cream in this amazingly hot weather!
While this inspires a certain anticipation of seeing familiar places and friends again, I also get a little panicky thinking about September.
The terrifying Unknown!
Its obviously a little late for school, and I definitely don't want to work at some $8/hour place again. I feel like someone is suddenly handing me Ireland and I'm way too freaked out to take it!
The more I think about it, the more it seems like the perfect timing. I am completely responsibilty-free, I have saved up some funds, and its one of my dreams....right??
Yet I'm so scared of actually going!
What is wrong with me?!
Its like all I want is to slip right back into the normalacy of Kamloops life, where it is safe and comfortable and warm....
But everything changes.
For one, Beebs will not be there at home, Ange will be married (!), and a certain brother of mine might be moved out! Who knows what else will be different. Home might not be bathed in such a sunny glow once I'm living there again!!!
I think perhaps it is time for me to take a little adventure. I just need to work up the courage to actually jump on it.
GAHH! SO FREAKY!