3,000!!

On August 30,2012, my blog hit 3,000 views!!  Awesome!  Thanks for reading folks.  Got a few more posts in the works.  :-)

Week 9 at last!

Whew!  What a week 9.  It was hellish at times, frustrating, and just plain hard while also providing those moments of awesomeness.  When staff come together during a hard time and bond over the difficulties that have been placed before them always inspires an awe.

It's Week 9!

Sunday started off like any other Sunday check-in until I got a call while at the pool from Rebecca for help for a nervous camper.  Little did I know what was ahead of me.  This camper refused to get out of the van, refused to talk to me, or even make eye contact.  The mom was adamant that she stay and receive the experience that being at camp for a week would provide.  I tried talking to her, her soon-to-be counselors talked to her, and I finally called up Scott who said that it was up to mom to get her out of the van but we would be willing to walk her around and let her see the place.  After about an hour, the girl was finally out of the van but not willing to go anywhere.  We finally convinced her to go see the barn and the facilities and I thought that maybe we'd made a breakthrough so I left them together until dinner as I had to go and at least get some of my duties taken care of like taking up the EQ girls and finishing interviews and beginning schedules.  I chatted with Scott again about our special camper and got some more insight as to what to do.  After I dropped off the EQ campers at Scheumann, I noticed the camper and mom arguing again and the camper being resistant and I decided that it was now or never time.  She had to either leave her with us or take her with her back home.  The mom appeared to give up and I thought that was the end of that.  I found out at dinner that she was back and the girl was in the cabin.  Decided to leave it at that and hopefully that was the end of that.  Got done with the schedules and it was off to bed.  By that time next week, I would have done nothing that whole Sunday.  Good feeling.

I'm going to miss him

Monday morning it was so quiet with only 19 campers.  I started the clean up process, tearing down the english tack room and washing brushes and such.  My "friend" makes it through the morning but, by lunch, tells her mom no more.  So she left.  We make it through the first afternoon of activities with Steven and me rocking out vaulting.  There would be no more medieval games, clipping/braiding, vaulting, or race relay for 2012.  After my last evening on duty putting out round bales, leaf blowing the EQ center hay loft, and eating McDonalds that Amie was so kind to bring to me, it was time for Olympics!  Tuesday morning was Cayuga's trail ride and we made it, keeping my friend Maggie right behind me so I could keep an eye on her.  I continue working on projects in the morning and have to work through lunch to get ready for the afternoon where I'm teaching driving as Amie is headed to Kokomo with her mom.  She helps me get the ponies ready after I'd read a scathing email from a mom who was upset that I'd given her daughter a test and they weren't prepared for it.  By now, I'm feeling that I'm destined to make people mad at me this week.  Turns out, I wasn't done.  As I was preparing for the afternoon, after juggling the schedule so that Sarah would help me, Steven would help bareback, and Josiah would help with trail rides, Sarah comes up to tell me that our other staff was quitting.  She was fed up and was leaving.  Mind you, there are 3 days left and if you stay the entire summer, you get a fantastic bonus.  You can do anything for 3 days, right?  Nope.  Rachel went down to try to talk her out of it while we tried to keep our heads in the game to keep the show going for the kids.  We juggle staff back and forth to make sure that all bases are covered and this is when a good staff shows itself.  In the hard times.  When they have to come together to make it work.  And my staff did.  Everyone was understanding.  Everyone did their job and more without complaint.  We rewarded ourselves with a home cooked meal by Sara and then relaxed for the evening.

After a night continuing to watch the Olympics, it was off to bed for ONE MORE TRAIL RIDE!!  haha  After waking up 15 minutes before the campers were even supposed to be there, I rushed around and had them mostly ready to go by the time they got there.  First time ever I've overslept.  I had Sara come up and help me as I had a young, very distracted girl in Crow and 3 Warrior boys so one more set of eyes would be appreciated.  We made it through the ride (barely) and I was done.  26 mornings I woke up early.  26 mornings of getting a cabin group out the door.  And 26 safe trail rides.  Whew!  Hashtag Boom!  We made it through yet another morning of lessons and I spent that afternoon working on the EC, continuing to work on scrubbing buckets.  Sara brought me a nice drink as I was working and decorated it all nice.  I head off to go to Walmart to pick up supplies for my gifts for the end of the summer and pick up Amie's kids.  I was also planning on making breakfast for the crew the next morning since I didn't have trail rides and we needed a pick-me-up.  I work on putting the casseroles together and Sara works on her awesome desserts.  Some fun time in the kitchen later and more Olympics and it was off to bed.

Thursday morning, I made breakfast and we dashed off to take our "dream team" picture and then our counselor picture.  After lessons and lunch, it was time to work on the main stables.  Did some work on the tack room and lots of work elsewhere and it was time to head on up for dinner.  I had to vent and spill some emotions from the week.  Personally, I was done.  DONE.  Fed up with everyone being mad at me for something I didn't do and just tired.  So tired.  I could no longer control my emotions.  Erin and April showed up for a riding lesson that I'd kept pushing off and at that point in time, there was no way my head was in it.  We ate some yummy dinner and then a storm went through that forced everyone into storm shelters.  The tornado had stopped around Brookston and we barely got the rain.  I conked out on the couch for 2 straight hours and was already feeling better by the time I woke up to go home.

Friday morning we made it.  The last person got off the last horse and we'd had a very safe summer.  Relief.  Off to Pizza Hut we went to celebrate!  We get back and continue to work on tearing down the stables.  By the time dinner comes, it's definitely bittersweet.  We're done.  That's for sure.  But it'll be sad to say goodbye, to see campers leave, and to settle back into the routine of trail rides.  After dinner, my crew takes care of the last horse parade while I try to grade as many tests as I can.  We were all planning on going to campfire as it will be Dave's last one and we were planning a tribute.  Right as the horses were coming by, 3 stray dogs (not nice) came running through camp so true to form as to how week 9 has gone for us.  Just one crazy thing after another.  We chase 2 out of the 3 dogs out and tie the other one up and it was off to campfire.  I handed out green jackets to Sara, Rachel, and Steven and settled in for the campfire.  A lot of tributes to Dave.  After campfire, we tried walking the long dog back to the bend but he never indicated which one might be home so he spent the night in the barn.  I headed back home where everyone was there working on certificates.

Bye!

Saturday morning, I slightly sprained my back picking up what would be the last sack of grain I'd even need for the summer.  Of course.  Just how everything's been going lately.  But I got done what I could, found my back belt, and got done lots and lots of chores.  One more lunch at RV with the staff and we were off and running to get the barn cleaned in 2 1/2 hours.  We get done, say goodbye, and then I was trying to finish thank you cards (how do you express 12 weeks in a 3x5 space?) before it was home to take a shower and get ready for the banquet.  Yummy food.  Good people.  Saying goodbye to lots of folks.  Seeing some of them finally get "it", the magic of camp, now that they are leaving, they know what they are leaving behind.  Our staff was awesome.  We made it.  It was hot.  It was dry.  There were no hobo dinners.  No float trips.  Some drama.  BUT the kids loved it.  We made a difference in their lives.  God used us in amazing ways.  But for now, that was done.  No more for 2012.  In 9 short months, we'll be back at it.  Until then, we'll sleep a little, do nothing for a bit, and relax.  We'll pick ourselves back up, work on chores, get back into the swing of trail rides, and wait for those winter winds to be upon us.  So, to my campers of 2012, thanks for a great summer.  Thanks for joining us.  I hope to see you again.  Know that the two people below are already thinking of you and your 2013 experience.

Week 8's Greatness

Where has the time gone?  Week 8 has come and gone.  If camp is a marathon, this is the sprint to the finish.  Some people will see the finish line and go on cruise control and then other counselors, great counselors, will see the finish line and run through the line, finishing strong and leaving it all on the table.  These weeks are hard for other reasons, besides everyone being dead tired.  Usually the campers that come towards the end of the summer are younger, newer, and it's harder sometimes to keep showing the love when you have told them countless times to do a task or they don't do their chore to the level you are expecting.  That's when you have to remember to keep showing the love, to have the same patience you had week 1, and to consistently ask God for strength, love, and patience.  It's hard, very hard.  But I can say that my counselors did it this week.  Now for the recap.

Sunday check-in went as usual and Amie and I got out the door that evening at a very acceptable time.  We weren't even the last ones out the door and I was home by 10 pm to watch some Olympics.  My parents stopped by during check-in on their way back from Turkey Run and it was nice to see them and to have them see me in action, doing what I love and seeing why I am so busy and my ministry.

Monday morning went well and was a little busy with 2 different groups doing horsemanship period 1.  After the morning, we went into our usual clipping/braiding, vaulting, race relay, and medieval game clinics.  I did some chores and brought up round bales to put out in the paddocks.  After dinner and some time talking to Sara and Amie after dinner, I went to the mini-farm to feed the calf and pigs, clipped the rabbit's nails, and finished putting out the round bales.  Then it was back to Amie's to watch the Olympics until 1:30 am.  We watched the eventing portion (cross-country) of the equestrian events.  I knew the next morning would be rough but it was worth it!

Tuesday morning I woke up and headed to the barn for the Cayuga early morning trail ride and as I was driving over, saw some very dark clouds.  I checked the weather on the phone to see if I could see where the system was moving and then back to home to see it on the bigger screen.  I made the decision to cancel the ride as I saw the system moving from Chicago to the south and it extended across half the state.  Cayuga was already at the barn so I drove back over to tell them to head on back quickly as there was already lightning to the north.  I headed to the south pasture to make sure that the cabin out there was safe and accounted for and then headed back home for about 30 minutes to sleep a bit more.  Then it was back to the barn around 8:30 in the pouring rain to bring in the ponies.  The rain let up and all groups got to ride.  We played pony olympics that morning and April did a great job designing a cross country course for the kids.  I got to take lots of pictures that morning and it made me want a new camera (but that will have to wait until the truck is paid off!).  That afternoon was our last set of clinics and in the evening we went to Winnie's pink flamingo party at the TLC and then it was off to watch some more Olympics (see the theme?).

Riding in the Oak Forest

Wednesday morning was Crow's trail ride and lessons went well.  Rachel took some pictures of us down in Ghost Creek Valley.  I did a few chores in the afternoon then drove Sara to IRUS for her two Nancy lessons and I worked on a friendship bracelet for Momma K and balanced my checkbook.  We stopped at Wendy's for dinner and then came on home to watch, you guessed it, Olympics!

Thursday was Cayuga's make up trail ride and that went the way that rides should go....leaving on time.  ;-)  I spent the morning running around trying to not only get the kids out the door but to also get us ready to go to Winamac for some trail riding.  I hooked up the trailer, filled tires with air, made sandwiches, and got everyone loaded up and off we went.  It was a great day of trail riding.  It was also a great day to connect with my two assistants up top-Steven and Rachel.  Just good honest conversation, laughter, and letting them know how much I love them and appreciate them.  A great end to the week and hard to not be sad that we didn't have more moments like that.  Crap that occurred during the summer threatened those relationships and threw my focus off at times so it was good to reconnect and just let them know they were loved.  We got back and unloaded then Amie, Sara, Ben, kids, and I went to Kathy's as has become our Thursday night ritual to drink a bit, relax a lot, and be away from camp.  We left around 12:30 and it was a bedtime of 1:30 after getting home and showering.  Unfortunately there was one more early morning ride to get up for...Iowa.







True to form, Iowa was rough getting out the door.  Kids who couldn't figure out who their horse was and others who tried bridling their horse before they even tacked them up left me shaking my head and asking Rachel to help us get out the door.  We made it through safe and sound and it was off to our last day of lessons with the 6 counselors all together.  It was a nice time that morning with everyone and chatting it up with Rachel and the horsemanship kids.  I took one camper from first period horsemanship to the RV trail ride so she could experience that instead of the pony games since she had done that her first week here.  She had a good group of HMS kids and it was nice to hang out with them a bit and get some of them excited for equestrian camp.  We made it through and then I had a chat with the counselors one last time to explain how the next week was going to work with 4 counselors.  It was hard to split up a few cabins but I did what I thought would be best.  Usually, there are a few counselors that make it easy to decide who needs to go to resident camp but not this time.  It was hard, very hard to make the decision as I truly loved and cared for all of them and not one of them got on my nerves.  :-)    Kept working on chores that afternoon and on to the theme dinner for the week, sports mania, in honor of the Olympics.  That evening, Sarah and Karissa volunteered to do the horse parade and it was weird to not be walking it.  We handed out awards and it was off to grade a bunch of tests (some from last week) and to chill with the staff.  I left the colt and yearling tests to grade till the morning and by 1 am I was off to bed.  I get a text right before drifting off to sleep that Amie needs me at the house a bit before 8am.  I had been hoping to sleep in till 8:30 after getting up the last 4 morning so early but I stumbled out of bed and was able to get there.  Sleeping in would wait till Sunday.  Saturday morning brought me a chance to deliver tests, feed the horses, sweep the barn, and chat with a few parents.  I didn't get too many chores done with Steven at the lower barn doing the trail rides but we got enough done and I started compiling my list of chores for the upcoming week.  At 11:30 am we met up with Ben and Adrienne to go over the trip stuff while eating at Mitchell's in Delphi.  It was a good time chatting with some good people and by 2 pm we were back here.  I sat down to watch Olympics and during the water polo match, I fell asleep and I honestly have no idea how long I was out.  Amie and crew made some good food and it was a night for Olympics.  It's the end, it's going to be a great week 9.  It's going to be awesome!

Reflections

Camper time

Erin

For the past 8 (really 11) weeks we've been holed away in this little place off of Tecumseh Bend Rd., sacrificing sleep and personal time to give the kids an experience that they will never forget.  It's a show, with several people behind the scenes giving their all and setting up all the "moments".  Often times, it's the unscripted moments that are the most special.  The times in the barn aisle before classes begin and you're just sitting there talking and chatting about life, sometimes about horses but not always.  Maybe it's waiting on horsemanship to show up and you start to have a random conversation while in a stall with a camper.  It's those moments between the bigger moments that the kids will remember forever.  How the activities themselves aren't always what they'll treasure but how you took the time to talk to them, act crazy and show them that it's okay to be themselves and that they don't have to fit into a mold that school and society want but to be the person that God meant for them to be.

Me and a camper

Donica and Rebecca

Donica

April

And who helps make that happen?  The counselors.  We, as full time staff, are here to help the counselors achieve a greatness that they didn't know existed.  We are here to support them, to help them grow as a person, to foster the seed within them.  When we help make them better people and when they grow, they will only make the experience even better for the kids.  They will be happier, stronger counselors who will then be able to go on and pass on the love to the kids.  I hope I have done that with my staff this summer.  I hope they have grown as people.  I know I saw them morph and change since the first day they arrived.  They arrived quiet, unsure, and hesitant.  I saw a wild zany Erin emerge while Naomi's, her British partner, sense of humor cracked me up.  I saw them working together, each supporting one another and filling in each other's weaknesses with their strengths.  Then the partnership of April and Rebecca and how they almost morphed into one person.  They were a strong unit that the kids just loved.  April's smile is the sweetest thing I've ever seen (and her crazy faces on trail rides were a riot!) and Rebecca is one of the most patient colt instructors I've ever had.  Donica's creativeness was unmatched for mounted trail obstacles and Celyn rose as a leader, taking the lead in getting the job done.  I couldn't have made it without them.  We endured heat and dry weather, kids who weren't always the most motivated to move and lacked some on the listening skills, and have, so far, made it through 24 early morning trail rides.  One more week to go.  2 more early morning trail rides.  5 days of lessons.  And 6 more periods of clinics.  They can do it.  We can do it.

Erin

Rebecca!

Karissa

April

Sharkbait!

Steven

My barn staff have been working hard for the past 11 weeks of the summer.  Getting up early and tacking up horses to get the horsemanship barn ready to go after chapel or getting up early to tack up Lake Village horsemanship while also taking pictures for the early morning trail ride.  Teaching clinics, moving horses, instructing upper levels of equestrian camp, bringing horses in and out of the barn, sweeping and picking trails, walking miles of trail rides, tacking and untacking horses countless times, completing chores day in and day out, reading parent letters, and doing whatever else we ask for the good of camp.  Are they tired?  Yep.  Do they want a break?  Yep.  But they too have been integral to the workings of camp and without them, Amie and I couldn't do it.  This show takes all parts working together to make an awesome, unforgettable experience for the campers.  I hope that everyone has changed somewhat over the summer for the better.  There are times where I wish I could have done more for them.  We all had our rough patches over the summer, where we lose focus, get tired and worn down, and just want to be done.  But we always push through.  I care about each and every one of my staff.  I really do.  There's no one that didn't pull their weight, that were the bad egg among all the good ones, that were not a joy to be around.  So to Erin, Naomi, Donica, Celyn, Rebecca, April, Steven, Rachel, Sarah, and Karissa.....thanks for a great summer.  Thanks for your sacrifice.  I hope you got so much out of the experience.  You may not realize it now, but when you are home, you may realize how much God changed you while at camp.  Take the love of camp with you wherever you go.  Be third always.  Love you all.

This is how we all feel!