Barely a woman, but 18 years in...

I'm 19 today. The title of my blog needs changing. Camp this week is going amazingly. I have next week off, so I'll be able to update more then.

The dean of my camp this week has given me until dinner off. Two things...first is that this is very nice, second is that I miss my campers. This week I am working with Elem. Sports Camp. I have to admit that at the beginning of the week I didn't feel like helping with this camp. Sports camps at Jumonville are typically run by the same people every year and the campers usually come back to the same camp each year until they become too old and advance to the higher age level of sports camps. (Last week I had Sr. High Sports and it was hard to cope with because the campers were almost my age and I was the only one from Jumonville's summer staff helping with it.)

I have to admit that because of that week, I thought that this week would be the same. Though my campers last week and I really started clicking together by Wednesday and we made some good connections, it was a late start and got me thinking about how well I will be at this position through out the rest of the summer. However, all of that's changed. By the end of last week my campers and I had made great relationships (we're even Facebook friends.) But this week, I'm back to the age group that I love most. Upper elementary. Good times.

I like this age group because these kids are still cute, they don't talk back, and they are just figuring out what sarcasm is and they try to use it as much as possible. I love my campers this week. I only have five girls total and seventeen boys. But at this age, the girls come for the sports not the boys, so it's an even mix. They are all so different in their own little ways, but I love them. They all are trying hard to do well in each sport and they come up with AMAZING ideas during Bible studies, it's very inspiring to see a child's faith and be able to witness to them and watch them grow throughout the week. I'm so blessed to have this "job." Even though at times I feel like we don't get paid enough, or we aren't getting enough sleep, or enough time off; each time I see a smile on a campers face because they accomplished something during the week, I forget all of that. All the struggles that the staff goes through and all the heartache that we put up with, and all the little things that pile up on us all week long are all worth it when it comes the a camper smiling or hugging you, or even that annoying tugging on to your arm, pulling you down slightly and not letting go thing, makes all that other stuff totally worth it.

It will be hard to let go of these ones tomorrow morning. It always is a bittersweet moment to have the campers leave. But today when I was walking towards the office, to start my "off time" that the dean gave me, four of my campers started to follow me. I turned around to see they were about five or so steps behind and saw Kayla, Jacob, Natalie and Jay, some of my favorites from this week. I told them that they had to stay with the rest of the group and I would be back soon, and I kept on walking. But I could hear them not paying attention to a thing I said and kept following and carrying on with conversation behind me, so I turned around again and told them that I was leaving for awhile but would be back later. (At this moment I felt like that part of the movie when the main character leaves their puppy in the woods and starts to walk away.) They all just looked at me like they were lost and didn't know what to do, but I turned back around and kept heading to the office. Then Kayla; probably the cutest one we have this week, the one that is going into fifth grade but is about the size of a second grader, the smallest but the only one that made it to the top of the pool climbing wall, cried out, don't you love us anymore? My heart melted.

So last week was my first week with campers. It was honestly the most amazing experience ever. I love the age group (elem.) and my campers from that week are really being missed. It was an beginning adventure camp so we did a lot of exciting things on and off the campus and really were able to grow together as a group. It was truely amazing learning from such a young crowd, but through them I find myself maturing. They were a great way to really start off the summer.

Now I am working the Senior High Sports camp. It is SOOOOO MUCH different. This group is taking some time to get used to and is much harder to work with than I expected. I thought that since we are so close in age that I'd be able to relate to them better, but it is hard to believe what a year of college has turned me in to. (Well a year of college and a month of being here, has turned me in to.) I'm in Washington Lodge this week, which is really nice with the AC and the queen sized bed for the counselor :) But the downfall of that is that I only have four girls in my room so they are the only ones I can really get to know. But the four of them are great girls...clearly high school aged, but great girls.

I love the relationships that are still growing through the staff and what great friends I have made and continue to grow with, even though we are not always assigned to the same camps or even the same areas. It is incredible what you can do with 24 hrs off on the weekend though, and I truely love my staffers.

Training just offically ended. For our last activity for training we had to facalitate groups through the low ropes course. My group was the youngest (6-8) which at the low ropes course people asume is the easiest group to work with, when really most people stray away from this group and use older kids because they are actually able to do the activities properly. Anyway, it was difficult because these kids are from a group that works with children that have lost a loved one and are in the grieving process, so they are not my campers and it was hard to really understand who these kids were from just knowing them for a short time. However, I feel that for such a young age we got through VERY well and they exceeded my expectations, so over all it was a great morning.

God is pretty awesome up here. So much spiritually is going on with each of our staff members and I cannot wait until tomorrow when campers come and we are able to share all of that love and grace with them so they can feel the same way about God. We have been using a great curriculum that focuses on some of the harder parables that Jesus told and gives us a lot of freedom to be able to disect each activity, or bible study or worship time to really get into the Word at every age level to make it understandable. It's a really great rescourse and I think that the kids will be able to get a lot out of it.

Jumonville has a tradition to do a camp wide worship service on ever Wednesday so that all the camps on site are able to have one big time to worship together, since the only time that all the camps are together is during meal times. So for this year the theme is focused around the whole bridegroom and Jesus idea so it's pretty intense. But I am so excited for it because as a camper Wednesday worship is what I really looked forward to, to see the staff get involved and God really move through everyone when everyone is together. (There are usually a lot of tears and random emotions with everyone there at these services.)

I'm really excited that this year since I'm on staff I can really be involved in this service. I will be doing a 10 minute long dance at the very beginning of worship. I am sooooooo excited to do it. I feel like though it's not all put together now, it will be great in time for Wednesday and that it will be a great way to get everyones attention right away. The song that the dance goes along with is so powerful. When the staff first heard it we all just sat there in awe and everyone had chills. I'm so glad that we'll be able to really bring the song alive even more with the dance too. I honestly cannot explain it, the song is just so powerful and I'm really privledged to get to open up worship with it each week. I really feel that I was leaving dance out of my life for awhile and that this will not only bring that back to me, but it will show the kids that there are a lot of other ways to use your gifts for God and to make it an offering for Him. I'm pretty pumped.

The first round of campers will be on their way by this time tomorrow and I cannot wait for them to arrive. My first camp is one of the many adventure camps that Jumonville holds through out the summer and is for 9-11 year olds. I'm really excited for the kids to get here so we can go on all the adventure courses here and make the fun trips to Ohiopyle, Coopers and Greenbrier. The week involves a lot of hiking, rock climbing, caving, canoes, and rafting along with all the other normal camping things like bible studies, worship, and cookouts, so it is sure to be a good week. Please keep the campers in your prayers that they all have a great time up here and that God is able to touch them in some way, through some activity while they are here. I'll keep you all posted on how it goes!

I love Jumonville. I love being on this staff. I adore this staff. This summer has already proven to be more amazing then I thought possible. I have made WONDERFUL friends with my fellow staffers and I know these relationships will last for a long time. I love these kids and I love what we're doing.

I cannot lie though, there are times and days where it is all too much, and I'm too worn down to fully function. Not just because I'm fighting off mono but just because this work is really draining. This week has been tough. Tuesday we spent the day at the low ropes course. We went on a 10 mile bike trip and 10 mile duckie boating trip at Ohiopyle, Wednesday, and a three hour canoe trip Thursday. On Friday we spent the entire day at the high ropes course and the sun has not been in everyone's favor during all these outings. Today though it was pouring and we were able to have a group of firefighters come in to use the adventure center and were able to teach them what to do in there and it was a great experience.

These weeks of training have been draining in many other aspects too. God is really moving among our staff and the campus is really becoming our home. There's a lot going on that I can not even begin to explain here, but it all has been a great growing experience and a great experience in general. I love being here - even though training is much harder than I even thought it would be. As a camper I never noticed all that the counselors go through and all that they really have to do. I'm so glad I have been given this opportunity.

I cannot wait for the campers to get here, I think I'll be more at ease and able to really find myself through them. I cannot wait for this summer to really get going and for this life to really be used for God. This will be a good summer. Though this is all much harder than I thought it would be, it is amazing and I would never trade these times for the world. For once, words are failing me and I am unable to explain how much I am in love with what all is happening right now. The friends, the bonds, the laughter, the work, the strength, the worship, the love, the talks, everything is amazing here...hard but amazing. This is the greatest "job" ever. This really is a ministry.

So I have some acute form of mono the doctor tells me. To mother this means I'm supposed to sleep all day, to me this means I'm boredddddddddd. Anyway, the doctor called yesterday and said that I am allowed to do any activities at my own discretion. So basically I can do whatever, just don't get worn out because that's when we'll have problems.

Well, my own discretion said that today I needed to buy a new camera. So I took the blazer (I like to pretend it's a baby Hummer) and picked up one of my best friend's, Chelsea (yeah, her name's Chelsea too) and we drove off to Cranberry to buy a new camera.

Thirty minute drives are fun times when you haven't seen a person since the day before you moved into college. Anyway, Chelsea is a good parking spot locator, too bad she doesn't bear in mind that we are driving in a baby hummer. So, yes, we did take ten minutes parking just so we wouldn't have to walk in the rain.

So, this Wal-Mart did not have the camera we planned on buying, but instead we found one that was stainless steel (ohhhh) and all the other features I wanted/needed. So since this camera had all the fun things I wanted and was the same price and was stainless steel, we purchased said camera.

So I get home and because I have to play with everything, I instantly opened the camera to find out that IT HAS A TOUCH SCREEEN!!!! Don't you think that would be one of the most important things to put on the little card that is displayed by the camera when it sits on the shelf? I would think so.

Anyway, I leave for camp in two days - I'm getting excited for it, not going to lie...expect fun pictures when I get some off time from my new SWEET camera. 

My iTunes is on shuffle and I forgot I even had this song on there. But, it actually means something to me now when I listen to it. It's weird to call some place else home for such a long time - just to go back to where your real home is. I miss good ol' EC, so Saturday cannot come soon enough, but SHU will be missed more than I ever expected.

"We left family to live with strangers, now we leave family to go back home." 

 

Franklin - Paramore

And when we get home, I know we won't be home at all
This place we live, it is not where we belong
And I miss who we were in the town that we could call our own
Going back to get away after everything has changed

'Could you remind me of a time when we were so alive
(Everything has changed)
Do you remember that? Do you remember that?
(Everything has changed)
'Could you help me push aside all that I have left behind
(Everything has changed)
Do you remember that? Do you remember that?

So we stand here now and no one knows us at all
I won't get used to this
I won't get used to being gone
And going back won't feel the same if we aren't staying
Going back to get away after everything has changed

'Could you remind me of a time when we were so alive
(Everything has changed)
Do you remember that? Do you remember that?
(Everything has changed)
'Could you help me push aside all that I have left behind
(Everything has changed)
Do you remember that? Do you remember that?

Taking up our time
Taking up our time
Taking up our time
It's taking up our time
go back, we can't go back at all
It's taking up our time
go back, we can't go back at all
It's taking up our time
go back, we can't go back at all
It's taking up our time, taking up our time

'Cause you remind me of a time when we were so alive
Do you remember that? Do you remember that?

I'm working at Jumonville this summer. I should be really, really excited. I'm nervous.

I love Jumonville and have been going to summer camp there since I was about eight years old. The camp has changed my life and re-invented me with every trip there. I used to count down the days in the summer until I could go to camp, and then cry basically the whole day when I had to come home. I love Jumonville.

I spent my 14th and 17th birthday at Jumonville, I made some of the best friends I have to this day there, I found God for the first time there, I found a reason to keep trucking time after time there, and now I get to work there. I get paid for doing something I love. But I'm more nervous about it then I ever thought possible.

Jumonville means so much to me, one of the reasons I picked Seton Hill was because it slightly reminded me of Jumonville's campus. That's actually the first thing my dad said when we were pulling up the Hill on move in day back in August, which was the first time that he saw Seton Hill.

But I'm scared that I won't be able to bring those same kind of memories to the campers I come in contact with. I can only go so far, I can only teach them the songs and lead them on the hikes and help them at the ropes course. I can only lead the Bible studies, and tell them about God and how important He really is. I cannot make them believe it all. That's where the kids turn into adults and make that big decision for themselves. I can only guide them, and I hope that I am able to do so. I'm nervous that the kids won't love Jumonville as much as I do after their week there. But that's where God takes over, and my work is left up to him.

I cannot believe that I have this chance to mold lives and help kids with such a big decision that is truely life changing. Granted I know not every single kid that comes to camp is going to be on fire for Jesus after they leave, but if I make an impact on one kid, I'll feel like I've done my job. I have always wanted this chance and now it's right infront of me. And I'm getting paid for this? I know I'm a privledged kid. I move in May 19th. Hazard Yet Forward, Chelsea.

 

 

"But be sure to fear the Lord and

serve Him faithfully with all your heart;

consider what great things He has done for you."

I'm not going lie - I love Seton Hill. Okay, that's actually an understatement. I ADORE Seton Hill. Now of course there are some problems, but EasyMac was invented for the days the college cafeteria's don't have the greatest selection. (You're going to eat it later in the day anyway, after all - the freshman 15 isn't refering to how many credits to take.) Seton Hill has it's downfalls, but what campus doesn't. I honestly have to say that the only real problem I see at SHU is also what makes this campus great. It's small and everyone knows everyone. This is bad because people know your flaws, but its great because you always know someone will be there to help you.

I've got one week left in my first year...then I'm no longer a freshy! That's pretty exciting actually. I can't believe that this time last year I was going to prom, and getting ready for my last summer "as a kid." I can't believe that I actually made it through life without the great people that I've met this year, before coming to SHU. What I really can't believe is how much I've grown, changed and above all how much I've learned. Not only the stuff I've learned in the various classrooms, but what I've learned on the weekends, or in the Brownlee lounge late at night, or just randomly off campus with friends, and I don't know how I'll be able to make it through a summer without those kids. We've all had our share of ups and downs, but I hope I never lose these guys, they basically complete me.

I feel smarter now too, its weird. I always knew I was a bright kid, but randomly I'll find myself in conversation about anything, and know interesting facts or how to do something or fix something or anything and I'm right about it. Seton Hill really snuck up on me in that way. I always try to look back on the school year and think of what I've learned, and usually I'm over it pretty quick and realize it wasn't much. (I'm glad SHU doesn't make me feel the way LHS did after each year.) I really felt like here I learned to learn...not learn to get the right answers on some test and then forget about it. I actually learned something, and remember how to apply what I've learned to life.

 

But enough with the sap...let's look back on fun learning times through pictures...

really is the place for smiles

 can't say it any better

 finals survial kits = heaven

 the most FAQ on campus

 most loved cafe meal

 favorite building on campus

my shared library is one of the most used in the network = i rock

 

 plus   equals amazzzzzing

 

 

 

I'm sure I'm missing some stuff but you get the idea...it's been a good year. 

...but I've got two classes with Jerz next semester so just more and more blogging is to come!

 

Blogging Portfolio Three

Here we go around kiddos. The final blogging portfolio...until next semester. Like always this is the time when the class has their chance to put all their best posts together in a cute little format. We've only had two other portfolios this semester; one of which I was very bitter on, and the other that I was decently happy about. This one isn't bitter, or super excited, welcome to the happy medium blog portfolio folks.

 

Coverage - I've done decent with coverage, this time around I did miss two times to blog (I don't even remember why, but I missed them) So like the other portfolios, you could just check out my page to see all the goods I did do.

Timeliness - I feel that I've done the best with being on time this time around. Mostly because a lot of my blogs I did wayyyyy in advance just to get them out of the way so I wouldn't have to stress about them and my other work throughout the week. But the ones below are the ones that were the most timely.

• Why did I not know this?
• How many feet are in a line?
• Onamatowhat?
• two boys = one girl

Interaction - Okay, so putting my blogs in early helped with me receiving comments, but it made me forget to sometimes go back and comment on classmates blogs. But here's what I got.

My entries that got some lovin.

• Why did I not know this?
• How many feet are in a line?
• two boys = one girl
• Cause I'm freeeee

Entries where I gave some lovin.

• Maddie's Mirror, mirror on the wall...
• Angela's Review of Ender's never ending torture

Depth - I did decent in this area, the only book that I really liked that I could have any depth to it was Wit, and for some reason I can't work the link for that page (insert Chelsea pout face here) anyway, these ones were decent enough for this section.

• Why did I not know this?
• Underdog cheaters make me sick
• two boys = one girl

Discussion - Because I was a slacker I didn't get involved in too many note-worthy discussions on my classmates blogs, but there were a couple started on my posts.

• two boys = one girl - true statement on many levels
• How many feet are in a line? - good to know I'm not the only one
• Why did I not know this? -LHS and other high schools are dumb
• Cause I'm freeeee - and I had to set the record straight

Overall, I've gotten a lot out of this class, if nothing else it was good to be in a class with such fun kids. The ideas people came up with (once we really got into the texts) were really interesting. And after hearing the final paper ideas from everyone in class, I think that everyone else got something out of EL150 as well. I'm kind of jealous of Jerz because he gets to read everyone's paper, because them all seemed like pretty decent ideas and they will probably all turn out pretty well - good luck kiddos and have a great and safe summer! <3