Camp Harmon!!

Well, here I am! Up to the GORGEOUS Santa Cruz mountains, down highway 9, through the front gates, around the pool, the caretaker's house, the pillbox, past the basketball hoops and the bathrooms, past a few cabins, the lodge, the arts/crafts and creative fun building, around the camp director's house and here I am... Staff lounge, computer two. So boring, I apologize. It was a crazy few days as we got to know each other and had orientation. I got here Friday around 2:00 and June (the director) and another counselor (Donna from NJ) met me at the baggage claim. We ran into sports authority and Jamba juice and picked up one of the camp nurses, Theresa. then it was back to camp for dinner. There, we got to meet all the other counselors. which, was scary. It brought back some crazy memories from two summers ago, fourth of July, Stan state fireworks. If you don't know what I refer to... ask Abbey! (: Saturday morning started orientation and working through the biggest staff manual I've ever seen. Saturday night we had "KnockOut"... not the basketball kind. it was a relay race of sorts with all different sorts of things. We divided into 3 teams- orange, blue, and green. Of course, we had to differentiate by painting our face... Knockout used to be a camp activity, but it got nixed this year because of tight budget- you may see why. The first relay was a jeopardy type thing. If you got your question wrong, you had to eat a marshmallow with ketchup. Thankfully, I didn't have to eat one!! Then we had to pass a cup with a hole in the bottom of it, over our heads, with water in it, back to the end of the line and fill a pitcher up. Yeah, orange totally ruled. Then... there's this song they sing here at camp... I don't remember how it goes. But as they sing it, you get whip creamed... yum? not.

But it was a good time. I am not sure that a shower has ever felt so good before in all my life. The next morning, my hands still smelled like... heated whip cream... but thankfully it didn't last too long! (:

This is me and Donna... the one who met me at the airport. She's from Jersey.


another knockout game... paint the counselor. This one didn't get cut... I'm sure I'll get painted this summer... can't wait! (:

Sunday night was a break from routine... Santa Cruz!!! We had a picnic at the Twin Lakes Beach. I had no idea a beach around here could be so crowded... but it was a good time... I forgot what salt water tasted like... sure missed it!

Remind me when I am utterly exhausted... think I cannot go on... and when I say I'm not getting paid enough for the hard work... and when I can't sleep because my campers aren't... and when all is going wrong, remind me that I got paid to go to the beach! (:

Tuesday morning was CPR training... and since I am already certified, I got to sleep in until 9!!!! so... I took advantage of the time and had breakfast in bed (a delicious homemade choc muffin, hot tea, and a banana) along with my Bible. Perfect... (You can remind me that I got paid to do homework and have breakfast in bed that day too... :D)
Yesterday after we were finished and "off-duty" for the "weekend", I jumped in with Hippi Courtney and went to Scott's Valley. That was pretty sweet to get off the compound for a while and do some shopping... chips, salsa, tea, basket to put shower stuff in, mesh bag, plastic bags, tissues, stain spray, softener for laundry, and on... the guy looked at me and was like... looks like you just got off work! (: it felt so good to be somewhere besides camp. Today I got to run up to the Mountain Store like a half mile up the road and get some chocolate and tea! (: it was awesome... I talked to Josh a while and did laundry... between the episodes of no water due to them hitting the main line up the road a ways. got my homework completely finished... so yeah! Life at camp... it's great. oh and mother... I know you'd have a fit, but just thought I'd tell you... laundry consisted of throwing everything in the wash... pjs, sheets, towels, dresses, sweatshirts, yep, everything! (; nothing seems to have been affected... hehe

My bed for the week... so organized (: for once in my life...


I never understood the statement "comfort food" but I think I've discovered mine... (: By this afternoon... I was in desperate need of tea and chocolate...


Tomorrow, I get my first camper. I have a one-on-one this session which I am really excited about! the people who don't have 1on1's have 4 campers each! which sounds like a lot my first week! so we'll see how it goes! His name is Sam and he's in his 20's I think! so yeah! pretty excited to get started!
Please pray that I will be strong... spiritually and mentally. Sleep is looking like it'll be non-existent. Returnee Courtney, I discovered last night, is a Christian too which was so exciting!!! she's definitely my favorite counselor I think... good work ethic, hard working, and just sweet! a lot like me- we need our personal time! (: so it was good to talk to her for a while... this is her 4th year here, so she had lots of advice in our no-church summers!

thanks for holding out to the end (: just wanted to update everyone with what's happening around here! Please pray! and if you want... here's my address:
16403 Highway 9
Boulder Creek, CA 95006-9696
I have to sing to get my mail... so be considerate (;
soli deo gloria!!
Courtney