A Dream Worth Remembering

This is what I wrote in my journal late one night this session...

I just woke up from the weirdest dream! Mom, Dad, and K came to visit on Middle Sunday. They signed me out and we, a hamster, and a pony rode a ferry out to an island to spend a couple of hours. There we ran into Abbi who looked beautiful in a flowing patterned dress, and increasingly long hair. She appeared to be at a rather fancy lunch event with a group of navy guys who also had dates. I did not see her man. We were running late to the ferry and both the hamster and the horse died. I woke up after this discovery to the sounds of two of my campers conversing! I investigated. They were exchanging tissues b/c one had had a bloody nose. They claim there is no mess and that the crisis is averted... I guess we'll see in the morning.
I have no idea what time it is. I'm writing this by flashlight under a blanket.
Welcome to my life.
...Was it a hamster or a pet chipmunk???

Halfway Through Session Two!

So in a week from yesterday, we will have finished our second session of camp. It's hard to believe that we're about halfway through not only this session, but the summer! I've been here for almost exactly a month, and I half just over a month left to go. Time flies for sure.
Today I'd like to write a bit about some things that have worked better for me this session, about some challenges that I'm discovering, and about what I'm learning in my personal Bible study lately!

Success Stories:

• Cabin Orientation. This is a part of the evening on Opening Sunday when I sit down with all of the girls in my cabin and go over things like rules, and policies, and where we start to get to know each other. This didn't go too well in the first session... so this time I planned it much more carefully and things went much better!


• The Buddy System. This way, I ask my girls where their buddies are, and they tell me who is missing instead of me trying to count heads like a crazy person.


• Assigning meal chores. This way the clean-up is shared equally and we don't have four girls taking all of the responsibility.

Challenges:

• Middle Sunday. It's SO HARD to get through Sunday of each session. My day starts as usual with breakfast at 7:15. The difference is that there are very few campers coming along. There are two rounds of breakfast, one for those attending chapel, and one an hour later for everyone else. I'll be in chapel every session because the Vocal Ensemble always sings. Then I'm off to Symphony Band rehearsal, followed by a Staff Choir performance for all of the choir campers. Then it's lunch, and after lunch we're back to a regular schedule. Middle Sunday is challenging because I lose a couple of hours of free time in the morning, I have to wear the formal uniform all morning, and I have to sing a lot in the morning. It's a long day, but it's always very rewarding because of the performance for the choir campers. There's nothing like singing for an enthusiastic audience!


• The Brahms Requiem. It's SO HARD. Musically, it is challenging, but definitely do-able. The challenge is to put it together with our conductor. He is a wonderful gentleman from Austria, however, there are some small issues. The language barrier is definitely a factor. Another interesting thing is that he asks for straight-tone singing throughout. This is very hard to do, especially when singing forte in the higher part of my voice. The other challenge will be the emotional demands of performing a Requiem with texts as brilliantly set as these are. The Brahms is definitely challenging, but it will be extremely rewarding as well.

Bible Study:

• I've been going through Kay Arthur's "Lord, I Want to Know You." It's a book about the names of God, and I've learned a lot. I'll list the names and memory verses that I've learned so far!

1. Elohim, Almighty Creator God, Rev 4:11


2. El Elyon, Might God, Psalm 57:2


3. El Roi, God who Sees, Proverbs 15:3


4. El Shaddai, All-Sufficient God, II Cor 12:9-10


5. Adonai, God our Master, Psalm 16:2


6. Jehovah, Self-Sufficient God, Exodus 3:14


7. Jehovah-Jireh, God the Provider, Phil. 4:19


8. Jehovah-Rapha, God who Heals (haven't finished this one yet)

So that's that! Those are my thoughts here at the halfway point. :)

Session Break Number One

So here I am on my first session break. During Orientation I volunteered to work for any session breaks that I was needed, but I was very relieved that I wasn't called in this time. We've been going almost non-stop since June 20th, and it was just time for a break.

I thought that now would be a good time to just reflect a bit on the things I learned during the first session.

Lessons Learned:

• No cell phone = Not so bad.



• "Play the chill card."



• Check their shirts and pockets before washing their clothes.



• Many "minute warnings" makes one's cabin on time.



• It's just as important to tell the girls what they're doing well as it is to remind them of behaviors they should change.



• Make cabin expectations crystal clear from day one.



• 14-year-old girls want my approval... even if they don't.



• Meal chores must be assigned.

I never want to forget...

• What it felt like to conduct a band.



• The experience of working with Dr. Matthew Westgate



• The warm fuzzies of sitting in the sunshine in Stewart Shell listening to the Symphony Band's dress rehearsal.



• Hugs from campers.



• My camper's 14th birthday.



• Dancing with fellow counselors at the camper dance.

There's so much more that I could write about, but sometimes the words don't come. My overall impressions: I did a pretty good job on round one, and with the lessons that I've learned, I'll do a really good job in session two!

Almost Done with Session One!

Can I write a blog post in 11 minutes? We shall see.

So we're almost done with the first session of camp, and it has been unforgettable in many ways! I'm having a wonderful time, and I'm doing very well. here is an idea of what a typical day looks like for me!

6am: GOOD MORNING!
7:15: Breakfast
8-9:30: Symphony Band rehearsal assisting (Lots of supervising, a little bit of giving permission for bathroom breaks, and the occasional music/instrument repair paperwork. Also teaching experience! Tomorrow I will lead my first ever band warm up!)
9:30-noon: Free time or In-Unit time. In-unit means being in the unit to answer the phone, push the laundry, and answer the questions of campers who aren't in class.
12:15: LUNCH.
1-2: Vocal Ensemble or Staff Choir rehearsal
2-4: Free time or In-unit
4-5: Rec Hour! Different assignment every day. Lots of supervising... aka camper stalking. it's fine.
5:15:Dinner
6-7:30: Hanging with Campers in the unit!
7:30-8:30: Concerts or Performances
9:30ish: LIGHTS OUT

Memorable moments include: Teaching a private voice lesson to a Horn major, Receiving my first private voice lesson from a female teacher, Recording "Les Filles de Cadix" for the staff solo competish, writing letters, memorizing Scripture while patrolling the woods, the chipmunk that lives under the pavilion where my band rehearses, Learning to live "unplugged," and So much more.

My girls are mostly rising HS freshmen, and they're bundles of energy, insecurity, boy craziness, and preciousness. Cabin life hasn't been without its hiccups, but I like my campers and with about 4 days left in the session, they appear to still like me!

I love and miss you all back home! I love pen pals, I have cute stationery, and if you send me your address I'll write the first letter. :)



Finished with one minute to spare.