Define: Triumphant Return

It's been a while. Okay, it's been over a month. Whoops.

Camp has been amazing this year. There have been days when it's been really tough, but the overall experience has been fantastic.
This last week started out in a rough sort of way, but by the end I was sad that they were leaving (even the kids in my beach bums class).
I had two girls in my cabin and in my class, and for the first few days, I just didn't know how to handle them. They were picking on each other, saying bad words, and picking on other campers. They even got me. Two examples:
I took a shower and blow dried my hair in the bathroom. Now, my hair is...well, it wasn't exactly...perfect, at the time. But it wasn't that bad. Anyway, I walked out of the bathroom and one of the girls said, "Wow, your hair looks really bad." Great, thanks.
Most of my girls this week were totally boy crazy, and I was trying to dissuade them from giggling and flirting and talking about boys all week. At one point I said, "I didn't have a boyfriend until I was 20." To which my camper replied, "Wow, that's really embarassing." ...thanks, again.
So I had these two girls every day, all day. On Wednesday night, something happened, and one of them suddenly loved me. She held my hand all the way to the petting farm and all the way back, wanted me to french braid her hair, wanted to sit by me, the whole deal. It made things so much better. Not to say the problems went away, but they were soo much better. On the way over to the petting farm, one of the other campers wanted to braid my hair, so I took my hairtie out. It had gotten wet, so it was out of control a little messed up. The girl who told me my hair looked bad before said, "Um, your hair is really weird." And the girl who now loved me said, "No it's not, it's not that bad."
My heart pretty much exploded. :)

There was another camper in beach bums (not in my cabin) who was a little tough to handle sometimes (David). He wasn't blatantly being disrespectful, but we were constantly reminding him of boundaries (and as soon as we said something he usually complied). On the last day, we took the pontoon out into the middle of the lake to jump off. One of the other campers had a few special needs, and was pretty hesitant about getting in the water. I kept explaining that the life jacket would make him float, and we watched other campers jump in and pop right back up. He was still a little scared, but David started encouraging him to get in. When he finally did, David was there to keep encouraging him and hold his hand when he was afraid to let go of the boat. It was so amazing to watch, and David was a total sweetheart that day.

I also learned how to french braid this week, and I felt super awesome. I meant to take a picture of the hair of one of my campers. I started to give her french braided pigtails, but when I got to the back of her head, instead of keeping them separate, I combined the braids into one big one. I may have been a little partial, but I think it looked pretty sweet. Especially for only having two days of french braiding experience.

A couple weeks ago I discovered that a $177 purchase had been charged to my Spring Arbor Higher One account. I was pretty sure that I'd remember making a purchase that large, and was really concerned as to how that had happened. When the details of the transaction posted, I discovered that the transaction took place via a Korean website. Not me, and definitely not okay. I called Higher One and explained, and the woman told me I had to wait until the transaction cleared (apparently it was still pending). The next day, I got online to see if it had cleared, and another unauthorized transaction had taken place. I called and cancelled my card, and started the dispute process (making sure to explain that it could not possibly have been me because I don't know a word of Korean). The second charge has disappeared, and I just got an e-mail from Higher One that (I think) says that I'll probably be getting my money back. Which is a relief. $177 is a lot of money for me at this point. Well, probably at any point in my life, really. I'm just glad it's getting resolved.

I'm sure there have been a ton of other things that happened during the last month that I was going to write about, but at the moment, none come to mind, and I need to put my laundry in the dryer.

Oh another thing:
My campers keep using my towel. I think I already brought this up. But it happened again.
This week I did not leave my towel in the bathroom when I wasn't using it. Problem solved. :)

The first camp of the summer...

I got puked on this week at camp.

When I called Jamin Thursday night I told him, and he said, "Again?" For a second I was confused, then I said, "No, not pooped, puked. Throw up." Poop was last summer.
After the incident, I was in a surprisingly good mood. I'm not sure why, but I'm glad, because I imagine that if I hadn't felt that way I would not have been fun to be around.

I had a really great group this week. There was one "squirrelly" camper (I feel like that's becoming the word of the summer), but even with some of the frustrating moments with her, I had a really good week. I was really anxious going into it, but it turned out totally fine. By the end, I couldn't believe it was already Thursday.

One of the campers I had was completely spacey. The definition of, even.
I had put my towel in the bathroom on Sunday before the campers arrived, and Sunday night, after this particular camper took a shower, she came out of the bathroom to get her clothes. Wrapped in what appeared to be my towel. I wasn't sure what to do right away, I was a little shocked, and I wasn't 100% positive that it was mine. But sure enough, when I went in to take my shower later, my towel was gone. Luckily I'd brought extras, so I just used one of those.
In the morning, I asked her about it.
"Was there a blue towel in the bathroom when you took a shower last night?"
"Yes."
"...where is it now?"
"I put it in my trash bag."
"Well, that towel was mine, so could I have that back?"
"Sure." She started to climb down from her bed. "Where is it?"
"...um, wherever you put it."
And that was the first day. More than once she wandered off (we lost her for a while because she forgot to come to dinner), even when I was right there. We were both on the playground, and I watched her start walking towards the lodges and get halfway up the hill (although heading a little bit more towards the West campground than the lodges) before I ran to catch up with her. I asked where she was going, and she told me the lodge. I asked her to ask me next time. She'd been sort of walking with an adult, and after the camper walked away, the adult turned to me and said, "I think she's just a lonely little girl." Like I had been neglecting her. I told the woman that I had actually been within 30 feet of the camper when she'd started walking away, she's just...spacey.

I'd written down that my goal for her was to pay more attention, but at the end of the week...I think that maybe that was a pretty lofty goal.


But really, I did have a great week. :)

Oh, Camp

I love camp, I really do. But I wish it would warm up. A lot. Especially when we're up north. I hate the cold.

Yesterday I got a headache in the middle of the afternoon, and after dinner I threw up. I laid down for a few hours, then got a hold of one of the nurses because I just felt awful. She came up and gave me some electrolyte pills and some Advil, but as soon as I got them down they came back up. Last night was just not fun.
But this morning I woke up with no headache and just a little shaky (probably because hardly any of the food I ate yesterday actually got digested). Now I'm feeling a lot better, just wishing it was warmer.

I'm sort of excited for my birthday. Jamin has Saturday all planned out (he won't tell me what, though), and I'm pretty excited to see what we'll be doing. And to see Jamin. :)


Please let it get warmer...
And I'm hoping for something good in the staff fridge.

Define: Horrified

I came out of my bedroom at my aunt's to send a late night e-mail. It was approximately 11:45, the lights were out. I looked down, and saw SOMETHING CRAWLING TOWARD ME. I knew that it was a bug because it wasn't that big, but it was so big that I could see it IN THE DARK. I freaked out and ran to the bathroom and turned the light on. The bug stopped near the door, and I ventured a look. About 8 million legs, and stinking ginormous. I put a paper cup over it (luckily there were some in the bathroom), and after mustering up some courage, tried to trap it between another cup. It went fine, until it got out. I let out a muffled screech and leaped back. The bug made a break for my aunt's room (it was FAST), so I put a cup on it again. I know, I know, just smush it! But you didn't see it. There was NO. WAY. I was cleaning that up. I got a piece mountain of paper to put under the cup, and got it on there. But then I didn't know what to do with it. My first instinct is to flush, but I was honestly afraid it would come back out of the toilet before it got flushed. And there was no way I was going to deal with a wet giant bug. I took it to the door, opened the door, and threw the cup and paper and slammed the door shut. After I was satisfied that it was not going to ambush me when I opened the door, I grabbed the cup and paper (making sure not to touch the parts that the bug did), and threw away the cup and the top sheet of paper.

If you're interested, I discovered that it was a house centipede. I do not recommend looking. And just for the record, it was at least two inches long (the body, not including the legs). Not like the little pansy one in the picture on wikipedia.

Maybe I've just been awake for too long, but...

I really feel like by the time you get to college you should know how to pick up after yourself. Cause really, you should have stopped crunching up paper, throwing it on the floor, and then walking away when you were about four.


edit:
And it doesn't make any sense to call someone a really horrible name and then say that you "like them as a person, but..."

Scattered Things

- I'm excited about being so close to the end of school, but sad about leaving.

- Going home is going to be...I don't know yet. I guess I'll start primarily living there again, which is a nice thought, but at the same time, terrifying. I know it's terrible, but I hope Izzy is gone.

- I have no idea what I'm going to do for the next two weeks either. I have a room to paint at my Aunt's, but I'm pretty sure that won't take the whole two weeks. Hopefully.

- I'm hoping to get to go to the zoo before camp starts. Jamin and I have been talking about going for over a year.

- Usually everyone leaves work at 5 except for me. I brought potato chips for just this time, but the new guy has not left yet. And does not seem to be making any preparations to do so. I feel like these are the loudest potato chips I have ever eaten.

- I was also planning to play games after everyone left. But he can see my screen from where he sits, so I feel weird, like I should be doing something productive instead (so I'm blogging, ha. I guess I think that the constant typing will deceive him into thinking it's something important. Probably not working.).

- I didn't call home for Mother's Day. I guess my stepmom was upset, because my dad e-mailed me. He said that he knew it might have been awkward (which it was, and that's why I didn't know what to do, and I haven't done anything before, so...), but the nice thing would have been to call or send a card or something. Which is true, but I honestly hadn't thought about it.

- My stepmom is graduating from WCC on Saturday. My first day of being done. Naturally graduation is at 9 AM. I will so be sleeping in on Monday.

- There are not going to be enough calls to make it worth two of us being here. Really. Go home so I can play my games and crunch my potato chips without feeling judged (I'm sure he's not, I'm just paranoid).

- Becca's family is moving to Ypsi because her dad has a new job (at Jason Verde's church, actually). I am sad for her that she is leaving her house in Kalamazoo, but Ypsi is so much closer to my home. I am secretly (well, when she told me I guess I shrieked very excitedly, so maybe not so secretly) very excited.

- Maybe it's alright that Shawn is still here. Because a phone call just went to him instead of me. Ha. :)

- Stupid crunchy chips.

- I am so excited for camp. I saw Willis Kilbourne today, and he gave me a hug, and I so want to be at camp right now. Only two and a half weeks...I can't wait.

- Jen, we need to start on the purpling dictionary ASAP. We need to have it ready for senior teen camp. No one will know to look out for eggplanting if we don't warn them about it. :)

- Shawn just got up from his desk...but not to leave. Eating potato chips as quickly as possible.

- I had big plans for Plants vs. Zombies tonight. It's cooler than it sounds. And not as yucky as zombies sometimes are.

- It's sad how long I've spent writing this, and Shawn is back, so I think it's time to be done.

- Edit: all of the calls so far have gone to Shawn except one. And when I picked up, they asked to talk to him. Ha. :)

A Letter from God to all Women...

I don't know where this is from, but I really like it.




I made her... she is different. With love I formed her in her mother’s womb. I fashioned her with great joy. I remember, with pleasure, the day I created her. I love her smile. I love her ways. I love to hear her laugh. And the silly things she says and does. She brings me great pleasure. This is how I made her. I made her pretty and not beautiful because I knew heart, and I knew she would be vain... I wanted her to search out her heart, and learn that it would be me in her that made her beautiful... and it would be Me in her heart that would draw friends to her. I made her in such a way that she would need me. I made her a little more lonesome than she would like to be, I know her heart, I know if I had not made her like this she would have gone her own way and forgotten about me... her Creator. I have given her many good and happy things... because I love her. Because I love her, I have seen her broken heart and the tears she’s cried alone. And I have cried with her and had a broken heart too. Many times she has stumbled and fallen alone, only because she would not hold my hand. So many lessons she has learned the hard way because she would not listen to my voice... So many times I have sat back and watched her go her own way, only to return to my arms sad and broken. And now she is mine again... I made her, and then I bought her... Because I love her. I have to reshape and mold her.. To renew her to what I had planned for her to be. It has not been easy for her or for me. I want her to be conformed to my image... This is the high goal I have set for her....
Because I love her.

When I created the heavens and earth, I spoke them into being. When I created man, I formed him and breathed life into his nostrils. But you, woman, I fashioned after I breathed the breath of life into man because your nostrils are too delicate . I allowed a deep sleep to come over him so I could patiently and perfectly fashion you. Man was put to sleep so he could not interfere with my creativity. From one bone I fashioned you. I chose the bone that protects man’s life. I chose the rib, which protects the heart and lungs, and supports him, as you are meant to do. Around this one bone I shaped you... I molded you. I created you perfectly and beautifully. Your characteristics are as the rib, strong, yet delicate and fragile. You provide protection for the most delicate organ in man, his heart. His heart is the center of his being; his lungs hold the breath of life, the rib cage will allow itself to be broken before it will allow damage to the heart.

Support the man as the rib cage supports the body. You were not taken from his feet, to be below him, nor from his head to be above him. You were taken from his side to stand beside him and be held close to his side. You are my perfect angel, you are my beautiful little girl. You have grown to be a splendid woman of excellence, and my eyes fill when I see the virtues in your heart. Your eyes-don’t change them. Your lips- how lovely when they part in prayer. Your hands- how gently to touch. I’ve caressed your face in deep sleep. I’ve held your heart close to mine. Of all that lives and breathes you are the most like me. Adam walked with me in the cool of the day, and yet he was lonely. He could not see me or touch me, he could only feel me. For everything I wanted Adam to share and experience with me, I fashioned you- my holiness, my strength, my purity, my love, my protection, my support. You are special because you are an extension of me. Man represents my image; woman, my emotions. Together you represent the totality of God. So man, treat woman well. Love her, respect her, for she is fragile.