it all because of Jesus I'm alive....

oh hey there... yeah I haven't updated since week one. oops. I don't know why my weekends feel SO much shorter this year.... I barely get to town, grab a few things and then usually have to head back to camp. bah.
well. The first half of the summer is over! I can't believe that its gone already. It absolutely crazy that its WEEK 6. Mistledough is sitting next to me in Brookshires and we both just had that bizarre realization. I really can't believe that I've been here for 7 weeks.
okay. I have to categorize.

day camp.
-is amazing.
-five year olds are my favorite thing ever. when they get in trouble (which is OFTEN) their responses to my questions give me the best quotes ever. "Caroline... why did you make the choice to push your friend?" "Belle... sometimes my brain just gets messed up!"
-my day is exhausting... we never ever ever ever ever EVER stop. but if you know me, you know that I love that. me and down time aren't great friends. but i can definately feel that my body is starting to wear out. So pray for divine rest!
- we're changing a lot about day camp this week, so i'm excited to see what happens.
- i love forming relationships with the families of our campers, not just the kids. since we see the families every morning, its fun to show these parents how we consistently love their children.

bus.
- i love driving the bus.
- i've only hopped 4 curbs. go me. and only once with kids in the bus. oops.
- leading cheers on the bus every morning has destroyed my voice. so if you talk to me on the phone, be not afraid... i have not turned into a man. its my bus voice.
- I get to drive for 5th grade trip every wednesday night which is definately the highlight of my week. I love love love getting to be a part of the Towers overnight program and spending time with the other counselors then. its so fun. and i went on the trapeze into the ranch pool last wednesday. i hate heights. it was a growing experience.

sometimes things are hard.
- like week4 when we had to close camp early because so many campers and counselors got sick. i mean, everyone was fine... it wasn't the flu... it was just sad to see so many kids sick. Wednesday night was one of the most intense nights of my life, literally sprinting across camp dozens of times getting sheets and luggage and taking child after child to the nurse. but gosh. God showed his glory through it all and the parents of our campers were so gracious. God is still good in times like that. Not to mention that camp has never been cleaner than it is right now... we disinfected everything. like really.
- sometimes I really miss being a part of what is going on with the Towers overnight program. not that i don't love what I'm doing, becuase its become so much of my heart. but I really do love the ministry of overnight camp too. my challenge to myself this half is to find moments to get to minister to overnight campers whenever I can. I spend so much time getting things done at night or running around doing little projects that I really don't get to see the kids so much. that should change.

the people are amazing.
- I am so blessed to live around people that love the Lord and love him fully. At day camp we have a team of us four that run the show and I am so blessed by each person in that group. Bubbahead is our program director who would fight for any of us to the bitter end. Mohawk is an amazing woman of God who I am so blessed to be around each and every day. And Choctaw is probably the single most passionate person I've ever met in my entire life... not to mention he is hilarious. Together we make the castle rock and I love them!


okay. there is so much more to say, but i have to go back to camp. more updates later. maybe. ha.