So camp is now in full swing. It was rough at first, and I was distracted by my own inadequecy (sp?) and was a tad overwhelmed, but now, I'm smiling. Literally, I'm sitting here in the deathly quiet counselor's lounge, smiling (other people are on their laptops as well). It probably looks pretty silly.

I love my cabin of girls. No major attitude problems or anything (my stomach just growled really loud, that was kind of awkward). Teenage girls are funny, I've realized (yes, I realize I still am one for a few more months.) For instance, this morning, before heading out to our first activity, the water slides, they were all crowded around the mirror straightening their hair and putting on make up. And we were going to the water slides. Silly girls. And it was so cute to watch them at the barn dance last night as they awkwardly two-stepped with the boys. And I'm not gonna lie, my cabin has a lot of good-looking ninth graders, so its fun to watch the boys try to get their attention, and vice versa.

But of course that's not the most fun part. The best part is when a girl will take you aside because they have a question about God, or share with you something that is going on at home and ask you for help. That's the best part, but its also the scariest part. That's the part when you have to totally let God take control, because you don't want to screw anything up. You know? You know.

Campers come tomorrow! I am so excited and so afraid.

Cabin decorating time.

I am oh-so-sweaty and dirty right now. Mmm hm. It's fabulous. And so is Sky Ranch. Today is the first day this week that I have not been in the water. At least when you've been in the water, you don't feel so gross, even if you are gross, because the water takes off all the grime and sweat. But no. Now I'm just sweaty and grimy. Yum.

This evening I get to go out on the town with my cabin. There is six of us counselors in my cabin, but there will only be five there at a time (two of us are half summer). We're going to hit up Marble Slab. I'm excited.

One thing that is kind of a bummer is I'm meeting a bunch of people who are working the second half of the summer, whilst I'm working the first half, so after this week, I may never see them again. Except maybe next year if we both work again. So yeah, that's kind of a bummer.

Bummer in the summer. plumber slumber lumber

Ok, maybe the shower will be free now.

Sorry to leave you in suspense, but I do now know what cabin/age group I'm in. I'm in Sky 3 (which is middle school kids) which is what I wanted. Woot! But I'm also a "swing" cabin, which means if Sky 4 has a bunch of kids a certain week, our cabin will become a Sky 4 cabin (which is 14-16 year olds). It's cool though

I'm still having fun (and getting sunburned). We've been getting trained on all the activities this week. My favorites so far have been the canoes and waterslides. What's lame is that they wouldn't let us do the blob, because we're older than 18. It's a liability or something. Psh. I wanted to blob.

Right now, I have like and hour and a half of free time. I'm in the counselors lounge, which has a bunch of comfy couches and chairs and wireless internet. There are four people on their laptops right now, and three out of those four are on iBooks (that includes myself).

Campers come Sunday. I'm excited, but also real nervous. There's just so much to think about. The campers safety and happiness and health and spiritual welfare. And then I also have to take care of myself. And sleep. And not get skin caner. And be authentic. And not run out of clean clothes. I can see how it would be so easy to just put on my Christianity, for the kids, and have all the bible studies memorized and say all the right words, but then be totally dead inside. Especially when I get really tired. I just don't want that to happen.

mela is apple in italian. mele is apples in italian.

I think I've eaten more apples these last two days than I have in the last two months. Possibly even the last three months. It's not that I've eaten an incredible amount, it's just that I never really did before. I don't really know where I'm going with this.

Tonight we find out what cabin and age group we are with. I'm hoping for Sky 3 (which is middle school) but I know it'll be great wherever I am placed.

Right now we have an hour and a half of free time and I don't really know quite what to do with myself.

So far I've done a lot of sitting and listening. And frisbee throwing. And sunburn acquiring. And friend making. And food eating. And backpack wearing. Speaking of, being a staff of Sky Ranch, we all get these rather fly red Jansport backpacks with like, a million pockets (or maybe like 4 or 5) and a water thing that's kind of complicated to explain, but its like a camelback if you know what that is. And a nalgene-like water bottle. Pretty sweet.

Hope your summer is going well.

2nd day

this is fun

first day

So here I am at Sky Ranch (I don't have much battery power, so i'm gonna keep this short). It's beautiful here, for one. There lots of trees and a big lake and...prettiness abounds. We haven't really done much so far. Just sit and listen to people talk about the way thinks work around here and relational evanglizing. Apparently this week isn't supposed to be too exciting, but next week we have to do everything at the camp (the blob, waterslides, zip line, ropes course, etc.) so that we know how it works. I'm pretty pumped about that. And Friday we find out our age group and cabin.

It was kind of overwhelming at first, coming here. There were so many people and everyone seemed to know each other. But really, once I started talking to people, I found out most people don't know many people (only about 1/3 of the 407 of us are returning staff) and everyone is nervous. I guess except for the vets (which are the returning staff).

Anywho, I have to go now. Dinner is soon.
(that time is wrong, its really 6:11. I dont know how to change the time zone.

leaving day

I HATE PACKING.

And in case you're wondering:

Sky Ranch
24657 CR 448
Van, TX 75790

You should drop me a line.

surprise me

So, yesterday I looked in my church's bulletin and noticed that in June they are doing a series based on Terry Esau's book Surprise Me. That stopped me in my tracks (even though I wasn't walking...but sitting..you know what I mean. My thought tracks). My heart started beating really fast, because I remember the Sunday when UBC started the Surprise Me experiment. And so my first thought when I saw that notice in the bulletin was, "No."

I'm kind of glad I will be out of town for that one, to be honest.

I know that's probably not the best attitude.

Mother's Day

And a happy Mother's Day to you. My stomach is full of Kentucky Fried Chicken and all that that entails, like mashed potatoes and nummy biscuits. Poker is on the TV, but I don't know how to play poker. Will's sitting next to me playing guitar. There's a police car on our street with his lights on. That's curious. I guess they've found me.

I'm wearing a Baylor shirt. For some reason, I find satisfaction wearing Baylor paraphanalia (sp?) when not at Baylor. Like "Hello, I'm in college. I go to Baylor. Boo ya."

I really don't have anything to say, I don't know if you can tell. I'll be at Sky Ranch soon and will update every once in awhile whilst I'm there. I should have something interesting to say then.

It's a pretty day, I'm going to go to the park.

friends are a good thing to have

Tonight I Tasted Addison with some of my Baylor peeps. It was fun. And we saw The Fray. That was icing on the cake. I also tasted a berry crepe. It was alright. Funnel cakes are better. I seem to be liking short sentences tonight.

I leave for Sky Ranch on Tuesday. Eeee. I'm kind of anxious. I don't really know what to expect. It'll be good though.

Man, The Fray has some mighty catchy songs. They are on repeat in my mind right now. It's kind of annoying.

bike

I got a new bike today. It's pretty fly. Literally, it flies. In the air. Seriously. No not really. That'd be sweet though, huh? But it's pretty nice. No parking permit for Laura.

neat

So more people must have read my xanga than I thought, for my profile views went from 16 to 53. Sweet.

And as to my title, it's just kind of there. I signed up for the this blog, and it asked me for a title. I sat there for a few moments, staring at the computer screen...and the cheese factory just came out.

And speaking of, there's a new Cheesecake Factory in town. I need to hit that up.

I'm watching Mulan by the way. I thought you should know.

summer

I got in the pool for the first time this summer. I didn't so much swim as lay. On a raft. And read a magazine. It was rather comfortable. And I got a little sun.

Nothing much else was accomplished today.

the first

I'm at home now. I'm sitting in my bed, wanting to sleep, but not being able to. Boxes line my walls. I'm looking forward to going through all of them. What a nerd, right?

I'm trying to wean myself off of xanga.

And it's not 10:19 pm, it's 12:19 pm. but I don't know how to change the freakin' time zone. Any help?