Girls' Camp, 2019

There are certain events that happen in my life that I know I need to record, but that I know I cannot give due diligence.  I wish I could just play a highlights reel from my memory of the times I had, because they were so beautiful and touching and memorable.  Alas, that isn't possible, so instead I think I'll try and capture the feelings of the moment.

My YW president had been asking me since January to go to Girls' camp again this year, but with our lives up in the air, it wasn't until late June that I could make the decision to go, and even then, recovering from pneumonia, I wasn't 100% sure.  I agreed to go with the caveat that I could stay in a nearby cheap hotel so that I wouldn't need to fight my mold allergy in the cabin, and in case I was still weak from pneumonia, I could get the sleep I needed.  Nobody cared about that at all--they just wanted me to go :-)

The details:  Girls' Camp was in the same location as last year:  Silver Trails Scout Reservation up in the thumb of Michigan.  After last year's fiasco of non-stop rain, and Sister Stewart running her van with the heat on the entire week so everyone could throw their wet things in her van to dry, everyone was put in cabins this year.  The theme was "Stay on the Ship" based on a talk by M. Russell Ballard.

The highlights of the week:

Beth was there again.  She didn't have her good friend from Saline with her this year, so she was attached to me at the hip.  In fact, when we were practicing hula with her, she looked straight at me and mouthed, "I love you."  Beth is so disconnected from me during normal life, so it's always fun to rediscover our friendship during these times.

Beth, teaching hula.  She was so happy I was there to help her work through "how to teach " it with her.

The food.  As Beth said, "I eat better at camp than I do at home."  It's so true.

Hawaiian haystacks and fresh fruit

Having the largest ward contingent at camp again.  Having lived in wards that typically have low populations and small groups, there's something so easy about having a LOT of girls.  Everyone always has a friend, and there is always some girl to sit by or to play with.

Camp bling.  Our ward gets the award for the best bling.  Each night, we have ward time, and our ward has a mailbox where the girls can leave gifts for their secret sister.  I like to just bring something for all of the girls each night, and they inevitably love what I bring (despite my insecurity about deciding what I should bring).  I brought colorful, clip-in hair extensions the first night (two per girl). No joke, we had to halt all ward activities for 20 minutes while they chose their colors and braided their hair and basically just freaked out about it all.  The second night I brought clip-in plumeria flowers for their hair.  The third night, I brought honey sticks, and I was so pleased to ask them what the honey sticks stood for, and several replied, "SERVICE!"  Yes!  I'm making a difference :-).

Our ward camp director had a lesson each night for the girls, and those were followed up with a charm for a necklace that every girl wore around camp.  A lighthouse, a ship steering wheel, and a sailboat.  No joke, I will wear the necklace in real life.  And during the week, when we saw girls doing some extraordinary, we gave them beads to string on their necklace along with the charms.  And on my last night, the director left beautiful bracelets for each of us leaders who came (there were four of us).

Hilary rocked her new hair extensions, and showed us all how to cooly wear our Hawaiian bandanas.

Also, Beth had brought a container of beads and elastic string, and we took over a table, making bracelets.  It didn't take long before we had a crowd of girls around us, making to make one as well.  It was a beautiful couple of hours, sitting there, talking to girls from all different wards.

I think this is the only picture someone took of me.  Honey sticks and memories.  I was leaving in an hour and kinda sad.

The leaders.  I'm super lucky to be able to work with really great women.  They aren't petty, or weird, or hyper controlling.  They really are a great team.

Me, Stephne Hilgendorf, Kristin Stewart, Hilary Edwards

The girls.  This should be my entire post.  The girls are everything to me at camp.  Over the past year, I've gotten closer and closer to the girls, especially to my Mia Maids, but that closeness was taken to a whole different level this year.  The girls wanted to be with me and actually sought me out. I can't possibly capture all the moments and details of what happened, but I can share a couple of generalities.

When I go to camp, I watch so many of the other leaders administrating.  They are so caught up in the details of being a leader, and the details of the schedule of the day, that they don't become friends with their girls.  We leaders we asked to sign up to help with different areas of camp during free time, but I didn't sign up for any of the slots, because that time is the best time to spend with the girls.  It's the time to really get to know them, and to love on them.

I drove a couple of girls to a rope course before camp actually began.  I was worried that I would need some John Bytheway or something playing in the car for the two hour drive, but nope.  Eden Gibson talked to me the entire two hours, and the girls were happy to listen to, and participate in my conversation with my missionary girl.

On Tuesday, we had some free time in the afternoon, and I tried to find a quiet spot to just read a book.  Within five minutes, I had six girls who had found me and begged me to play badminton with them.  And corn hole.  And of course, I was so happy to do it despite being the oldest and fattest leader :-) And when it started raining, we all ran under the gazebo and just talked.





Girls saved me a seat for meals.  Like, they called me over and asked me to sit with them.  And sometimes I would think that I was alone only to turn around and find a girl there, wanting to hang with me.  They wanted to stand by me in line for meals, and they would tease me or joke with me as they walked by.  They wanted my attention.

These three (Lily, Savannah and Maryanna) came up to tell me that they had just broken some record on the river.  I don't remember what it was, but I know they did it in 29 seconds when the previous record was 34 seconds.  It's no surprise, seeing that Savannah is taller than me and an athletic beast :-)

Can I have favorites?  If so, Amelia would be one.  She is a shining light of happiness and friendship.

When the girls found out that I was leaving early, they begged me to stay.  But beyond that, one of my Mia Maids, Rachel, came up to me before the evening skit and dessert (after which I was leaving) and threw herself into my arms, telling me that she wanted to say goodbye if she didn't get a chance afterwards.  I held her like it was the end of the world, and gave her a kiss on her head and told her I loved her.  This scene was repeated several times before I left.

At one point, Beth was hanging with me and the girls, and they expressed to me how much they didn't want me to leave, and Beth asked me, "How do you do it?  I don't have that connection with any of my girls."

My least favorite moment of camp?  When I was separated from the girls and had to hang with some other leaders.  I longed to be with the girls, helping them have a spiritual experience (which most of them didn't).

Phoebe, practicing hula with me ;-)

I don't say any of this to brag.  I say this, because nothing is more important that reaching out to people and caring for them.  Yes, the details of life must be taken care of, but it's important to take the time to let people know they are loved.  To make a connection.  When Isabel wants to talk trash about me cutting in line, I'm down with it.  When Rachel comes to hug me, I embrace her and don't let her go.  When I think of the things the girls might like in the mailbox, I think of what I would like, whether or not it comes with a spiritual lesson.  When I can see Phoebe is struggling with some physical ailments, I allow her to not show up for her 9:30 p.m. YCL meeting, and I send her to bed.  I ask a Vietnamese American girl about the cultural differences and struggles she has while making bead bracelets.  I even go down to the river to canoe with Sister Spencer despite giant rocks that will twist my ankle to oblivion.  And I can read a book anytime, but what other time will I have to play badminton with the girls, or to race them up the five stories of stairs?  Notice the individual instead of controlling the crowd, and become their friend.  There's nothing more special.

I wept tears each night as I headed back to my hotel.  I'm so thankful for this gift during this really difficult time in my life.  I have a mother who lives five minutes from my home and yet has discarded me from her life.  I have no other family, and my kids are all gone....except these girls.  They have filled that vacuum in my life and reminded me that I am lovable.

I took this panoramic shot before we put on our skit.  Look at how freaking CUTE they are!

Besides Rachel giving me a hug at the end, the other stellar moment was before we headed for skits and desserts.  I wanted a selfie with me and the girls before I left, so amidst the chaos, I asked a few to come over and take one with me.  Within seconds, the entire group came running (and screaming), and the happiness in their eyes in the picture shows the love that I felt from them the entire week.  The leaders even wanted to join in.

Look at the cuties in their costumes.  I seriously love these girls as much as my own.

And this morning, my phone was buzzing with messages from the leaders telling me that it just wasn't the same without me there, keeping the girls "lifted" and happy, and bringing the fun.  I'm incredibly thankful to my own kids who taught me how to be a mom.  I learned from them that it's important to take every opportunity to open up a conversation and to listen.  And in all honesty, they taught me how to be cool.  They taught me lingo, and gang signs, and current pop music, and how to just let loose and not worry about what other people think.  Those lessons are playing out in spades now :-)

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