This was a year of contrasts.
Just like the skin on my arm. Top = red. Bottom = white.
Anyway. It was fun. Let me state that first. It was great fun for many chunks of time.
CANOEING ON MY AIR MATTRESS!!!!
Major fun.
That was my idea. It was fun...and the reason for my MaJor sunburn. I had planned only to float around in the lake for about half an hour, then go do something else...but as it turns out, I was the only one out there with three very bored lifeguards, and a couple people on the dock. So I bob around for a while, picking up the lake clams with my toes [which they cracked open on the dock to see what was inside...].
After being pestered by a black sunfish with green fins, I jump out. I run up to the waterfront porch and come back with my seven dollar air mattress and ask if anyone wants to go on it with me. Everyone jumps up----Shannon grabs a pump, I grab oars, Betsy grabs life jackets, and McKenzie jumps in. We pump it up, toss it in, and have one hard time getting on [Kenzie in particular...she kicked me in the face!! :P ] But once we got on, it was great fun. Shannon stayed on the dock, and we took off.
People waved to us from the sides of the lake and the bridges, and we got going really fast after going around in circles for a while [the result of three oars]. We composed a number one hit song, to the tune of "Someone's in the Kitchen with Dinah"..these are roughly the words..we kept messing up!
"I've been floating on an air mattress!
All the live long day!!
I've been floating on an air mattress!
Just to pass the time awaayyyy!
Can you hear the water splashing?
In the slimy algeeeeeee!
Can you hear the water splassshing?
Please don't pop this mattress!!!
Tatum won't you blow?
Tatum won't you blow?
Tatum won't you blow your whiiiiistle?
Tatum won't you blow?
Tatum won't you blow?
Tatum won't you blow your whistle??"
Anyyywayy... We were having a dandy time...a pretty long ways off from where we started...well like an eighth of a mile, and were waving to some people on the bridge near Crafts. We turn around and begin to paddle the other way, when all of a sudden, someone screams 'TATUM!!!' and we go over. Into the algae---the seaweed, and the thick mud.
Tatum laughs. She had borrowed a snorkel, and in her black swimsuit, we had not seen her swim that whole length of the lake to come and flip us. We were so nasty, and couldn't get back on!!!
Finally, covered in goo..we tow her back, and begin to feel really proud of ourselves. Some girls in front of us had flipped their canoe in the shallows and couldn't get it in. [It could have had something to do with the fact they had seven girls in one.....]
All in all, it was a great experience---leaving me scorched.
Ah! Wait! One of the sisters planned an activity that she had done in college..
In the council ring, we were divided into levels..(ages), and given a grocery bag with a medium blue/grey tarp and duct tape, and were instructed to create a modest outfit out of it. FUN!!
Sounded corny, but it turned out great,
we had two groups of YL's, and we picked Heather as our model. We all contributed {i did the puffed sleeves!}, and ended up with [i need to add pics] a dress straight out of 1983. Laura volunteered as her date, Ferris Bueller, and Savita came up with the commentary.
She had a crazy updo, with a duct tape bow in her hair, a corsage, and a dress [knee length] with a bubble skirt....a belt, puffed sleeves, and a GIANT bow on her rear, which she took as a souvenir. We totally would have won, she was adorable, had not the Priesthood presented a model of their own.
Brother Allen was styling with his waterproof outfit. Shorts and shirt, he also had a hat--semi-normal right? All of a sudden, the lights when off and he lit up! Laura was like "that's my dad!!!". He had his miner's light on his head, and flashlights on both arms and crazydanced! It was soo funny!!!
Essentially the highlights of camp. We left the clam goo on the table to rot {in an icee cup, so all the girls would look inside}---and I bore my testimony, which is a really big deal for me...I conquered my greatest fear on Earth. I had to, after Sage got up and bore hers, then I realized that it was my last year, her first year, and that I had better suck it up and do it. It was totally worth it. I'm so proud of myself, I didn't die. I nearly did in anticipation..I fidgeted and hemmed and hawed, Brother Gage saw how much I was fighting myself. Heather came up with me, and I DID IT! One small step for man....
Brother Gage was so proud, I made him promise to never tag me for a talk. MUahahahaha!
But as I mentioned, it was a year of contrasts. We had some leaders that wanted to micro-manage EVERYTHING...and ended up ruining some of the spirit because of it. [I know they were trying to help....but camp isn't supposed to be serious]. But the rest of the leaders were FANTASTIC!!!!!! Tatum, Bishop Carraway Brother Gage [his lesson about being happy in life was awesome on Bishop's night, which was also awesome!!], Sister Rodgers, Sister Newbold, Reeder, Allen, Cochran, Jenson, the leader also named Anisha [we were also wearing the same outfit...creeeeeepy :P] and all the rest. FANTASTIC!!!
The YL's were great. I will miss them terribly.
And to continue in the spirit of camp, I got sick again this year! woohoo! that's every year I've gone I believe--or just about..but Bishop Carraway and Brother Allen gave me a blessing which made me feel instantly better, and the nurse took great care of me! Yay!
Thus, my camp ramblings..I may come back and add some as I remember..but on a sweeter note:
Sister Dunlap's funeral yesterday was beautiful, as was she. It was sweet, thoughtful, and very spiritual..very very wonderful. Sister Robertson's eulogy was powerful and kind..I loved it. No one will ever forget what a great lady Gaye Lee Briggs Dunlap was. I won't cry for her because I know she has made it into the next stage, and is free from this world's trials. God bless her family, but they are strong and beautiful and wonderful like she is.
:)
Naptime.
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